Kieran McKenna struck Ipswich Town transfer gold at Leeds United’s expense - It created history | OneFootball

Leif Davis signed for Ipswich Town from Leeds United in July 2022 and has since helped them from League One to the Premier League.

Leif Davis signed for Ipswich Town in the summer of 2022 from Leeds United, after the full-back failed to integrate himself into the first team picture at Elland Road, and has since helped the Tractor Boys rise from League One to the Premier League.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna joined the club in December 2021 in what was his first-ever senior managerial job, so naturally eyebrows were raised.

In his first half-season in charge, the Northern Irishman helped Ipswich to an 11-match unbeaten run, eventually guiding the club to an 11th place finish ahead of what would prove to be a transformational next campaign at Portman Road.

That summer, in came the likes of Marcuss Harness, Freddie Ladapo and Davis in the summer, the latter of which signed for the club for a fee of around £1.2 million in what would prove to be an exceptional piece of business.

In January, the likes of Massimo Luongo, Harry Clarke, Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst were brought to the club, as Ipswich romped to promotion with Davis starring an integral figure at left-back.

Ipswich Town's signing of Leif Davis from Leeds United has proven to be a steal for Kieran McKenna

In his first season in Suffolk, Davis, grabbed 14 assists and bagged three goals in 43 appearances in the third tier, earning himself a place in both the EFL League One Team of the Season and the PFA League One Team of the Year.

The next season would be even better for Ipswich and Davis, as the Newcastle-born full-back was instrumental for the Tractor Boys yet again, earning back-to-back promotions all the way to the Premier League, becoming the first club to do so since Southampton in 2012.

Davis grabbed 18 assists and scored twice in 43 Championship appearances as Ipswich stormed their way to promotion yet again in second place, with his direct overlapping runs and pinpoint deliveries down the left-hand side proving a fundamental driving force behind the Tractor Boys' eventual feat of successive promotions.

Davis had played twice in the Premier League before his switch to Ipswich, with two appearances in the top flight in the white of Leeds. However, he was a completely different player from the one that had first stepped on the pitch in the top-flight.

Although Ipswich were ultimately relegated in their first season back in the Premier League, Davis was yet again an ever-present in the back line, playing 33 times, scoring once and assisting three in England's top division in what has been a remarkable rise by Ipswich and Davis.

Now back in the Championship once again with Ipswich, Davis and the Suffolk club will be aiming for an immediate return back to the top flight, with the Englishman remaining as McKenna's first choice at left-back.

Davis' miraculous rise from League One to the Premier League hadn't gone under the radar as Ipswich may have hoped, with the 25-year-old at the heart of interest from clubs in the Premier League this summer.

Although the Tractor Boys ultimately managed to keep a hold of Davis this summer, largely due to their prosperous financial situation and the opportunity to be a dominant force in the Championship, their resolve was tested on more than one occasion.

It had been reported by Mike McGrath via X that Ipswich turned down bids from Premier League clubs for Davis, with talkSPORT further reporting that the Tractor Boys had turned down a £35 million bid from Nottingham Forest this summer.

Having signed whilst in the third tier for just £1.2 million, Davis has played over 125 games in Ipswich colours and is edging close to nearly 50 goal contributions from defence for the club.