Ipswich Town pushing to beat Sheffield United, Swansea City and Hull City to Oli McBurnie | OneFootball

Ipswich Town are reportedly keen to bring free agent striker Oli McBurnie to Portman Road.

Ipswich Town are reportedly pushing to sign striker Oli McBurnie ahead of the likes of Sheffield United, Swansea City and Hull City.

That's according to journalist Alan Nixon, who claims that Ipswich are making a strong pitch to convince McBurnie to make the move to Portman Road as they look to win the race for his signature ahead of their Championship rivals.

The Tractor Boys have already lost one striker this summer, with Liam Delap departing for Chelsea for a fee of £30 million, and with Nathan Broadhead believed to be closing in on a shock £7 million switch to newly-promoted Wrexham, it seems the Suffolk outfit are stepping up their attempts to sign McBurnie.

After a five-year spell at Sheffield United, McBurnie made the move to Spain last summer with Las Palmas, but his La Liga adventure did not quite go as well as he would have hoped as his side were relegated, and he departed the Estadio Gran Canaria earlier this month.

That means McBurnie is now a free agent, and he is attracting interest from a host of Championship sides, including two of his former clubs in Sheffield United and Swansea, but Ipswich are now hoping to steal a march on his other suitors.

Ipswich Town step up Oli McBurnie pursuit amid Sheffield United, Swansea City and Hull City competition

It has been claimed that McBurnie has agreed a deal in principle to join Hull, but the Tigers have been hit with a three-window ban on paying transfer fees, which has impacted their ability to do business this summer.

Despite McBurnie being a free agent, the EFL have still not given Hull the green light to sign the 29-year-old, but head coach Sergej Jakirovic has publicly admitted that he is hoping to bring him to the MKM Stadium.

"I would like to have Oli McBurnie," Jakirovic told Hull Live.

"He would bring everything that we need - leadership, experience, and he knows the Championship. Plus goals. I hope the goals; we need goals. I believe, yes (we can get it done). I believe that the EFL will help us."

After he scored 26 goals in 62 games during his first stint in South Wales between 2015 and 2019, Swansea are keen to bring McBurnie back to the club this summer, and they are believed to have held talks with the striker about a potential return.

McBurnie also enjoyed a successful spell at Sheffield United, where he scored 29 goals in 159 appearances after his arrival from Swansea in a deal worth up to £20 million, and the Blades are another of his former employers who would like to reunite with him this summer.

Discussions between McBurnie and the United hierarchy are said to have taken place in recent weeks, while Spanish clubs are also thought to be among his admirers, and with the start of the new season looming, the Scotland international could make a decision on his future as soon as this week.

However, while Hull, Swansea and Sheffield United are all keen on McBurnie, Nixon claims that Ipswich are now "emerging as favourites" to land his signature as manager Kieran McKenna looks to bolster his forward line.

McBurnie has been one of the most in-demand free agents on the market this summer, so it would be a big statement of intent from Ipswich if they were to bring him to Portman Road.

It seems Hull were in pole position to sign McBurnie, but their financial restrictions seem to have been a stumbling block in their attempts to seal a deal, and while the striker would likely be tempted by a return to Swansea or Sheffield United, the Tractor Boys may be able to offer him a more exciting project.

After Ipswich reportedly agreed a fee worth more than £20 million for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, McBurnie would be another eye-catching addition for McKenna's men as they continue to cement their status as Championship promotion favourites.