Ipswich Town transfer truth revealed involving potential Chelsea move | OneFootball

Ipswich Town are not pursuing Chelsea's Kendry Paez after reports claimed the attacking midfielder could join the Championship team.

Ipswich Town are ‘not pursuing’ Chelsea attacker Kendry Paez after they were linked with a surprise move for the Ecuador international.

The 18-year-old is seen as one of the top emerging talents in South America, with Chelsea securing a £17.2m deal to sign Paez back in 2023, although he only linked up with the Londoners this summer.

However, a loan was always seen as the next step in his development, and he joined Strasbourg, but his time in France hasn’t gone to plan, as he has failed to make the XI on a regular basis, with most of his outings coming from the bench.

Ipswich Town are not looking to sign Chelsea’s Kendry Paez in January

Therefore, it had been suggested his time in France could be cut short, and some reports had claimed that another switch to Portman Road could be on the cards.

Given Paez’s potential, that would have been seen as a real coup for Ipswich, and it’s no secret that Kieran McKenna is looking to sign an attacking midfielder if possible.

Yet, the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star have confirmed that Paez won’t be making the move to Suffolk. They explain that he isn’t a player the club is monitoring right now, so no deal is expected prior to the deadline.

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea do recall Paez, with Strasbourg now under the management of Gary O’Neil after he succeeded Liam Rosenior following his appointment at Stamford Bridge.

Ipswich Town must target quality ahead of January transfer deadline

This would have been a signing that really excited Ipswich fans, as Paez is someone that many expect to play at the highest level in the years to come.

But, it always seemed like a long shot for Ipswich, but this is the calibre of player they should be targeting ahead of the January deadline.

Pleasingly for McKenna, he isn’t in a position where he needs to panic to get players through the door. Ipswich are in good form, they have an excellent XI, and they have some real talent to come off the bench in every game.

So, it’s not a case of signing players for the sake of it, they need quality players that raise the level - and they won’t be easy to find. Paez would’ve done that, but it’s not happening, and now it’s about targeting players who have a similar profile.

Clearly, another attacker is the priority for Ipswich, and one big signing this month could make all the difference as they look to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt with a top two finish.