Ipswich Town warned on Millwall, Femi Azeez transfer plans | OneFootball

Ipswich Town have been warned that signing Millwall star Femi Azeez would not be a good move if they are promoted to the Premier League

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Ipswich Town unsuccessfully bid for Millwall star Femi Azeez in the winter transfer window amid their attempts to seal an immediate Premier League return.

Millwall opted against making a club-record sale to retain Azeez, with the Lions focusing on their own promotion-chasing efforts.

Alex Neil's men currently sit third in the Championship table, two points above Ipswich, albeit the fourth-place Tractor Boys have two games in hand on them.

Both Neil's side and Kieran McKenna's men are vying to beat either league leaders Coventry City or Middlesbrough to an automatic promotion spot.

Ipswich Town told that Femi Azeez may not be an ideal signing if they seal Premier League return

Azeez has been a star performer for Millwall this term, notching seven goals and four assists in 21 Championship appearances.

Meanwhile, following Ipswich's failed attempts to sign the winger when the transfer window was open, Football League World asked our Tractor Boys fan pundit, Adam Wilikin, if his club should advance for Azeez again in the summer if they win promotion.

Wilkin told FLW: "Femi Azeez was an interesting link in January. He's clearly a quality player. I think his attributes fit with a bunch of things that Kieran McKenna would want for a right-winger. Whether we go back for him if we got promoted to the Premier League, I'm not sure.

"We tried the route of buying the best players in the Championship last season, and it wasn't enough to keep us up. Whether there's the thought that could keep working, and they'll grow and, eventually, you get a squad ready for the Premier League, I don't know.

"Or whether we change our recruitment strategy, given what Sunderland have done this season with buying from abroad more. I would say that players probably need to move on from that position if we were to get new players in. He probably wouldn't be one that I would be looking at straight out of the gate."

Femi Azeez signature could mirror previous Ipswich Town errors

McKenna proved himself as one of the best managers in the EFL when he steered Ipswich to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.

However, once the Tractor Boys earned their top-flight spot in 2024, their recruitment strategy was not good enough to retain their Premier League status.

As alluded to by Wilkin, Ipswich opted to sign the likes of Jacob Greaves and Jack Clarke, who had excelled at Championship level for Hull City and Sunderland, respectively.

But neither the centre-back nor the winger could perform to the levels needed to keep the Tractor Boys in the Premier League, while longer-serving players such as Leif Davis also struggled in the top flight.

Meanwhile, signing Azeez from Millwall after a potential Premier League return would mirror the previous acquisitions of players like Clarke, whose services weren't enough to help McKenna's side avoid relegation.

Newly promoted duo Leeds United and Sunderland have performed well in the top flight this season, having acquired key players from overseas leagues, which may be a route that Ipswich should pursue this summer.