How Dan Neil really feels about second Ipswich Town transfer with Sunderland exit looming | OneFootball

On-loan midfielder Dan Neil has discussed the possibility of joining Ipswich Town permanently once he officially leaves Sunderland this summer

Ipswich Town are currently locked into the battle for automatic promotion to the Premier League as the 2025/26 Championship campaign gears up towards a typically-dramatic finale.

The Tractor Boys were widely tipped as title contenders heading into the season following relegation alongside Southampton and Leicester City, and while it does appear as though Coventry City will finish at the table's summit with a seven-point advantage over second-placed Middlesbrough, Kim Hellberg's men are very much in Town's sights.

Ipswich have won four of their last six Championship fixtures and remain just two points shy of Middlesbrough with a game in hand ahead of Saturday afternoon's crunch Portman Road showdown against Millwall in fourth.

Indeed, Ipswich are level on points with the Lions and the race for second place remains wide open as we head into the closing stages of the campaign, with Kieran McKenna sure to remain confident in his ability to direct a second promotion inside three seasons and a route back to the top-flight at the very first time of asking.

And it could be the exact outcome of that mission that decides the long-term future of on-loan midfielder Dan Neil, who headed to Suffolk for the second-half of the season in January ahead of his exit from boyhood club Sunderland once his Black Cats contract expires this summer.

Dan Neil discusses permanent Ipswich Town transfer as Sunderland exit looms

Neil captained Sunderland to the Premier League via the second-tier play-offs but found himself among a number of promotion-winners deemed surplus to requirements in the top-flight by Regis Le Bris, playing a paltry 13 minutes of league football across just three appearances before sealing a temporary move to Ipswich.

The 24-year-old has made his 201st and final appearance for Sunderland, who have already confirmed that he will leave the Stadium of Light on a permanent basis come June. Neil is gradually growing in importance at Ipswich, though, and has made eight appearances and four league starts at the time of writing.

Given Neil's contractual status on Wearside, the question is being asked as to whether Neil and Ipswich will look to make the tenure a permanent one once the summer rolls around.

When quizzed on potentially sealing a second agreement with Ipswich, Neil explained to TWTD: "I think it suited both me and the club, the way the deal’s structured. With the deal, there’s one goal of mine and it’s to get promoted, and we’ll see what happens after that.

"Hopefully we do get that promotion and finish top two, hopefully it’s an option and we’ll see where it goes in the summer.

"My biggest thing was to go somewhere I was going to play football because I really missed it over that six-month period from pre-season to January.

"I almost lost my purpose a little bit, because as a footballer, you train Monday to Friday for that game on a Saturday. To give your all and get three points for whatever team you’re playing for, and I really missed that feeling.

"The big thing for me was to go somewhere, play football, enjoy it again and enjoy that weekly preparation for that purpose on a Saturday.

"The one goal in mind at the minute is to help get Ipswich promoted.

"Whatever happens in the summer happens in the summer, but for now I’m totally focused on finishing the season well."

Dan Neil transfer could be a no-brainer for Ipswich Town

You would imagine that Ipswich will be open to the prospect of bringing Neil back to Portman Road once the campaign is up, especially if it's concluded by heartbreak and a second season in the Championship.

That is, after all, where the midfielder has proven himself, although he will doubtless feel deserving of a chance to show his capabilities at Premier League level and, should he help Ipswich there, then there's every chance the Tractor Boys may want to reward what Sunderland didn't.

Neil's composed ball-playing qualities in midfield are integral to McKenna's style of play, while his experience and leadership belie his age and offer an impact away from the field and make it a justifiable permanent transfer for a multitude of reasons.

The player's own stance is yet to be fully revealed, but he's hardly ruled anything out and it would be no surprise to see this switch transpire into a permanent one in the coming months once the outcome of Ipswich's promotion efforts can be determined.