Hull City deal could mean Ipswich Town exit after Derby County, Wycombe Wanderers links: View | OneFootball

Elkan Baggott enjoyed a productive loan spell with Bristol Rovers in the previous campaign

Ipswich Town have added to their defensive options ahead of their impending Premier League campaign, with the signing of Jacob Greaves from Hull City.

With over 100 appearances for his boyhood club, Greaves was one of the standout players in the EFL during the previous campaign, and joins the Tractor Boys in a deal said to be in the region of £15 million.

The 23-year-old has joined the East Anglian outfit on a five-year deal, and will add to Kieran McKenna’s defensive options, which currently include Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess and Axel Tuanzebe.

The arrival of the former Tigers man will also see Elkan Baggott’s place fall in the Town pecking order for the season ahead, and that could play into the hands of an EFL side, with a pair of clubs already said to be eying up the 21-year-old.

Derby County, Wycombe Wanderers could swoop for Elkan Baggott

According to reports in Baggott’s native Indonesia, Derby County and Wycombe Wanderers are both said to be interested in a deal for the defender this summer, after another impressive loan spell in the Football League last season.

Having previously been farmed out to Gillingham and Cheltenham Town, the young centre-back was drafted in by Bristol Rovers boss Matt Taylor for the second-half of the previous campaign, and once again proved his worth as part of the Gas backline.

It wasn’t all plain sailing in the West Country though, with his new boss hauling him off after 25 minutes in a clash with Stevenage, as he got back to grips with regular first time football after his lack of game time in Suffolk.

But after 14 appearances at the Memorial Stadium, Baggott further enhanced his glowing reputation at Portman Road, with Gas boss Taylor singing his praises after his performances in the blue and white quarters.

Speaking at the time, Taylor said, via Bristol Post: “He’s been a credit to himself and to his parent club in the time he’s been with us.

“The way he’s conducted himself, the way he’s trained, the way he’s played as well and then his performances on top of that.

“It’s a perfect example of a loan player who has had, inactivity of proper football, competitive football for the first half of the season, he obviously went away with Indonesia in a tournament which is totally different to Stevenage and the rigours of League One.

“He’s a young player, and he will have needed that first six, seven games which were quite painful, we have to be honest, in terms of where he was in terms of game time, and he needed that.”

Elkan Baggott ready for Championship test after League One loan spells

With the Tractor Boys earning the right to compete with the country’s top clubs in the year to come, the chances that Baggott will get a regular spot in McKenna’s first team plans look slim, especially after the signing of Greaves.

The young star has proven he has what it takes to perform in the EFL, and after featuring in League One during the previous campaign, the Indonesian defender should be looking to test himself at a higher level for the 12 months to come.

Therefore, a move to Wycombe Wanderers would be something of a sideways move after a spell at Rovers earlier this year, especially with Championship interest said to be prominent this summer.

If Paul Warne has taken an interest in the 21-year-old, a move to the Rams would make perfect sense for both club and player for the next campaign, with Baggott keen to prove himself at as higher level as possible in the early stages of his career.

With Curtis Nelson and Sonny Bradley the elder statesmen at Pride Park, and Eiran Cashin another young, talented defender eager to prove himself, the addition of the Town man could make it a keen competition for a starting place at County in the 12 months to come, as the Rams look to prove their worth upon their return to the second tier.