Ipswich Town place 31-goal striker on transfer shortlist - Nottingham Forest sold him for £5m | OneFootball

Ipswich Town are interested in bringing Sam Surridge back to England before the end of the window

Ipswich Town are looking to reinforce their striker options before the end of the window with the potential addition of Nashville forward Sam Surridge.

Surridge is no stranger to the Championship, having previously played for the likes of Bournemouth, Swansea City, Stoke City and Nottingham Forest in the second tier, scoring 17 goals and grabbing four assists across 86 games in the division.

Now, at 27, Surridge has just endured an excellent campaign in the MLS with Nashville, scoring 25 times in the regular season and the play-offs in 2025, finishing behind only a certain Lionel Messi in the scoring ranks - he notched 31 in all competitions.

The Englishman could be on the move back to his native country before the window closes, with Ipswich reportedly eager to bring him back to the Championship, though they may face competition from Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have also been credited with interest in Surridge.

Ipswich Town have targeted Sam Surridge as a potential solution to their striker woes

Indeed, the Tractor Boys are looking to add the final pieces of the puzzle before the window slams shut in less than a week, having already completed deals for both Anis Mehmeti from Bristol City and Dan Neil on loan from Sunderland.

As reported by The East Anglian Times, Surridge has emerged as an option to fix Ipswich’s striker problem before the end of the window, with Leeds United’s Joel Piroe also having been linked, though it has been reported that Piroe has no interest in leaving Elland Road for the second tier this winter.

The burden of hitting the back of the net at Portman Road this season has fallen on the wide pair of Jack Clarke and Jaden Philogene, with George Hirst’s six goals so far proving to be underwhelming.

Both Ivan Azon and Chuba Akpom have also struggled in front of goal this campaign, with McKenna having struggled to replace the void left by Liam Delap, who departed for Chelsea in the summer.

With Ipswich having used up all five of their loan spots now, it means a permanent deal is their only avenue of bringing Surridge to Norfolk within the next week. What sort of fee Nashville would command remains to be seen, and though under contract for the 2026 season, the MLS club possesses an option to extend for a further year.

Another option up front could prove to be the catalyst that Ipswich need to fire themselves back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and Surridge could be that guy, having been a revelation in the USA since being sold by Nottingham Forest for £5 million.

Kieran McKenna will have one eye on the Premier League with Ipswich Town following Sam Surridge revelation

Following their disappointing relegation last year, McKenna will be eager to fire his side back to the top flight at the first time of asking and write the wrongs of last campaign.

The Tractor Boys are well within the hunt for the automatic places, with only Middlesbrough and Coventry City standing in their way.

Ipswich may smell blood, however, with both Middlesbrough and Coventry enduring patchy runs of form as of late.

The addition of another forward in the form of Surridge would only serve to strengthen their promotion prospects, giving Hirst and Azon some more competition up front and providing McKenna with a different option.

Although he was never especially prolific in the Championship, Surridge has taken his game to the next level since his move to Tennessee, putting his name in the same conversations alongside Messi.

Whether a deal can be done remains to be seen; Surridge has emerged as a potential option for Ipswich this month, and this move should be kept a close eye on.