Sammie Szmodics sends final message to Ipswich Town after Derby County move | OneFootball

Sammie Szmodics has completed a loan switch to Derby County from Ipswich Town for the remainder of the season

Derby County completed a deadline day deal for Ipswich Town attacking-midfielder Sammie Szmodics until the end of the season.

The January transfer window is finally closed, with teams across the Premier League and EFL having made their final additions to prepare themselves for the rest of the season.

Derby County were no different, with John Eustace’s side having brought in four players across the month to add to the 13 that were added during the summer window.

Danish midfielder Oscar Fraulo signed from Borussia Monchengladbach, Dutch winger Jaydon Banel signed on loan from Burnley, English left-back Derry Murkin signed from FC Utrecht, and Sammie Szmodics made a late loan switch from Ipswich Town.

Szmodics becomes one of numerous players to have been signed by Eustace, having previously worked with the gaffer before, and Derby fans will be hoping that the 30-year-old can rekindle the scintillating form he showed under Eustace at Blackburn Rovers just two years ago.

Sammie Szmodics sends message to Ipswich Town fans after making Derby County switch

Szmodics joins the likes of Dion Sanderson, Lewis Travis, Owen Beck, Danny Batth, and Andreas Weimann at Derby, all of whom have previously played under Eustace elsewhere in their careers.

Following his move to Pride Park until the end of the season, Szmodics took to Instagram to send a message to Ipswich fans.

The Englishman has wished his parent club good luck and urged them to go and secure promotion, something which Derby fans won’t share with their new signing.

Indeed, Ipswich find themselves within touching distance of the top two in Middlesbrough and Coventry City, and Kieran McKenna’s side will more than fancy their chances of breaking into those places sooner rather than later, even without Szmodics.

The attacking-midfielder has struggled this campaign, starting just eight games in 16 league appearances for the Tractor Boys, scoring once without assisting, and now makes the move to Derby with the hope that Eustace can get the best out of him once again.

John Eustace will be excited by Sammie Szmodics’ addition at Derby County, whilst Kieran McKenna eyes up a Premier League return with Ipswich Town

Under Eustace at Blackburn during the 2023/24 season, Szmodics netted 27 times in the second tier whilst notching a further four assists, playing some of the best football of his career under the Rams boss.

John Dahl Tomasson had also been in charge for a portion of that season, though Szmodics continued to thrive under Eustace, and now the pair are once again reunited.

The Englishman, who joined Ipswich for a potential £11 million in the summer of 2024, will compete for a place in the side alongside the likes of Ben Brereton Diaz, Bobby Clark, Patrick Agyemang, Rhian Brewster, Andreas Weimann, Jaydon Banel, and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen.

Less than two years ago, Szmodics finished as the Championship's top goalscorer under Eustace, and now, with the pair reunited at Derby, who are well within the battle for the top six, Rams fans have every right to be excited about their new acquisition and what it could mean for their ultimate finishing position this campaign.

Meanwhile, Ipswich have brought in both Anis Mehmeti and Dan Neil to add some depth and quality to their ranks to mitigate Szmodics' departure, with McKenna's side hopeful of securing an immediate return to the Premier League this season without the help of the Englishman.

McKenna will have to rely on the likes of Jaden Philogene, Jack Clarke, Marcelino Nunez, and Sindre Walle Egeli to guide them back to the top flight, which is certainly not a bad crop of players to pick from.