4 players Ipswich Town should be scouting ahead of the January transfer window | OneFootball

Ipswich Town have enjoyed a brilliant season so far, with Kieran McKenna’s side second in the Championship after 16 games.

Only goal difference puts the Tractor Boys below Leicester, and, crucially, they hold an eight-point lead over third-place.

Therefore, even though they only returned to the second tier earlier this year, automatic promotion has to be the aim for Ipswich, as they hope to continue their remarkable rise under McKenna.

Of course, it won’t be easy, with Leeds and Southampton pushing hard, and the recently relegated duo boast huge squads that have plenty of quality, which is no surprise given the resources they have.

So, January could be pivotal for the Suffolk side, and McKenna will no doubt be pushing for new additions to strengthen his group.

It’s going to be about quality over quantity when the window opens, and the Ipswich owners have shown since coming in that they will spend if the right players become available.

And, here we look at FOUR players they should be monitoring…

1 Scott McKenna

The central defender is currently with Nottingham Forest, but he is way down the pecking order, and he is expected to leave in the summer when his deal expires.

That means he will be available for a cut-price in January, and it could be a shrewd addition for Ipswich.

The Scotland international would bring balance to the defence as a left-footer, and he is a powerful centre-back who would easily cope with the demands of the Championship - as he displayed with Forest in the past.

McKenna was key for the Reds as they ended their long stay outside the Premier League, and he could replicate that at Portman Road.

2 Sam Field

Another central midfielder could be on the cards in the winter window, and QPR’s Field would be a good signing for Ipswich.

Despite the R’s struggles, Field has impressed. He may not attract many headlines, but he is excellent at winning the ball back, his positional play is sound, and he can use the ball well.

He would offer similar qualities to the current midfield, and you would back him to fit into the side with relative ease, providing more depth in a key area of the pitch.

QPR will be reluctant to sell due to their position, but financially, you would think Ipswich could tempt them to do business.

3 Grady Diangana

Scoring goals hasn’t been a problem for Ipswich, but they could still do with a bit more star quality in the final third, and West Brom’s Diangana could provide that.

Normally, it would be very difficult to do a deal with a side that wants to win promotion, but the Baggies are in a desperate financial situation under their current owner. It has been claimed that they will have to consider offers for key men if a takeover doesn’t go through in the next six weeks.

Whilst he has struggled for consistency, Diangana has the potential to be a top player at this level, and he would add pace, a direct style and unpredictability to the Ipswich attack.

Many would back McKenna to get Diangana back to his best, and he could be decisive for Ipswich in the promotion race if he did rediscover his top form.

4 Bojan Miovski

Bringing in another number nine will also be a priority, but it’s a notoriously difficult position to fill, especially mid-season.

However, Aberdeen may consider offers for key man Miovski, and he could be exactly what Ipswich need.

We know McKenna wants a focal point in the team, and the Dons striker is a fine target man, capable of leading the line, winning fouls and bringing others into play. Plus, he does chip in with goals and offers a physical presence.

There are risks to this potential deal, as Miovski is unproven in England, but he has 20 goals in 48 league games north of the border, and he has managed two in four in the Europa Conference League this season.