How Ipswich Town could save £20k p/w on wages in January 2026 | OneFootball

Two players that could save Ipswich £20k per week in wages with a January departure

Ipswich Town are aiming to earn promotion back to the Premier League this season after suffering relegation last year.

The Tractor Boys finished 19th in the table, ending their time in the top flight after just one campaign.

Kieran McKenna’s side will face stiff competition for a top two place, with several clubs all vying for a spot in the first division in 2026, including Coventry City and Middlesbrough.

The January transfer window could be key to their hopes of earning a top two finish, as it will offer the club a chance to make changes to their first team squad, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.

Here we use estimated figures from Capology to see what kind of savings Ipswich could make on their wages through the departure of two out-of-favour players.

Harry Clarke

Harry Clarke’s time at Ipswich is surely set to come to an end at some point in 2026 given his lack of minutes on his comeback from injury.

The full-back spent the second half of last season on loan at Sheffield United, but has been completely out of McKenna’s plans since returning in the summer, owing, of course, to injury in some part.

The 24-year-old’s contract is set to expire in the summer, so a January exit could help get him a move that gives him regular game time without missing an entire year of his career.

Clarke is also on a deal worth a reported £15,000 per week, so it could be worthwhile financially to find him a new club as quickly as possible, instead of waiting until the end of the campaign.

The defender featured only six times for the Blades last season, but he could still be of use to a Championship, or perhaps a top end League One side.

Cameron Humphreys

Cameron Humphreys went out on loan to Wycombe Wanderers last season where he made 42 appearances as the club narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship.

However, upon his return to Portman Road, he has rarely featured in McKenna’s side, and it is clear that the 22-year-old is not in the manager’s plans.

Humphreys was a bit part of the Tractor Boys’ promotions from the third and second tiers, and he showed his potential during his loan spell last year, but taking the step back down to League One might be his best route to regular minutes in the second half of the campaign.

The playmaker is on a wage worth £5,000 per week, which isn’t a lot relative to the rest of the squad, but considering his lack of game time it would still be good to shed that from the wage bill nonetheless.

Ipswich are paying £260,000 per year to a player who is unlikely to play many more times this season, if he does stay beyond January.

Humphreys’ contract is also set to expire in 2026, so this winter will be their last chance to cash in and earn some kind of fee for his departure.

Given his seven goals and six assists in League One last season, there should be a market for the player that could bring in some funds for the Suffolk outfit.