How promotion has cost Ipswich Town £9.5 million - Kieran McKenna won't care | OneFootball

Ipswich have completed deals for Chuba Akpom and Cedric Kipre following the club's promotion to the Premier League

Ipswich Town have officially bounced back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and following promotion, two deals have already been sanctioned to begin the Tractor Boys' summer business.

Kieran McKenna has made it three promotions in four seasons at Ipswich, with their comfortable 3-0 victory on the final day against Queens Park Rangers enough to send them back to the top-flight.

It hasn't quite been the exhilarating performance from Ipswich that many would have assumed heading into this season, with a sheer abundance of talent throughout their squad, yet they've gotten over the line, most importantly.

Preparations for what the summer window may look like at Portman Road will no doubt have already begun, as McKenna aims to avoid the drop next time around to establish Ipswich as a Premier League club.

Following promotion, they will see a huge windfall of money heading their way, yet it has already cost them in excess of £9.5 million, with two loan deals having turned permanent following the success.

Chuba Akpom's and Cedric Kipre's loan deals have become permanent following Ipswich's promotion

Ipswich and McKenna will quickly be turning their attentions to the upcoming transfer window once celebrations have finished, with a huge summer ahead in Suffolk.

Having been relegated at the first time of asking last time around in the top flight, McKenna will be eager to make sure that outcome is best avoided again.

Big decisions will have to be made about certain members of the squad, including the two players who have just seen their loan moves become permanent ones following the promotion.

Chuba Akpom joined on loan from Ajax in the summer amid heavy interest from division rivals Birmingham City, with a £7 million obligation to buy if they were promoted, whilst Cedric Kipre joined on loan from French side Reims with an obligation to buy for £2.5 million.

Now Ipswich's fate is sealed, both deals have become permanent, with the Tractor Boys almost in eight-figure digits for spending this summer, already with the season barely over.

Akpom had previously excelled in the second tier with Middlesbrough under Michael Carrick, scoring 28 and assisting twice in 38 league appearances during the 2022/23 season, but has struggled upon his return to the division, with just two goals and one assist in 29 league games this time around, with only seven of those appearances coming from the start.

Kipre, meanwhile, will be looking forward to the prospect of playing Premier League football for the first time in his career after spells in the EFL with the likes of Wigan Athletic, West Bromwich Albion, and Cardiff City.

The Ivorian international has formed an excellent partnership alongside Dara O'Shea in the heart of defence, displacing Jacob Greaves as McKenna's preferred option alongside the Irishman for large portions of the season.

With both deals becoming permanent, it remains unclear as to how big a role either will play in the jump to the Premier League.

Akpom is now 30, and having been unfancied by McKenna for most of this season, there are obvious doubts about his capability to make the jump to the top flight now, and he could be moved on swiftly.

Kipre, meanwhile, will almost certainly be an option for McKenna in defence, though with O'Shea having one spot nailed down, he will have to compete for Greaves and hope his boss doesn't bring in an extra body to compete with over the summer.

Kieran McKenna will be eager to improve his Ipswich squad this summer ahead of a Premier League survival bid

McKenna will without a doubt be hungry to maintain Ipswich's place in the top-flight next season, having either been promoted or relegated in each of his four seasons in charge at Portman Road thus far; he would like to put an end to that trend next year.

Ipswich have an abundance of talent throughout the squad, with the likes of Jaden Philogene, Anis Mehmeti, and Jack Clarke in attack, Azor Matusiwa and Jack Taylor in midfield, with O'Shea, Kipre, and Leif Davis at the back, though whether all, if any, are capable of making a sizable impact in the top-flight remains to be seen.

The Northern Irishman must be ruthless in his decision-making this summer, with the futures of both Akpom and Kipre to be decided upon despite their permanent additions.