Dara O'Shea and Leif Davis react to Ipswich Town's emotional Conor Chaplin decision | OneFootball

Dara O'Shea and Leif Davis have reacted to the news that Conor Chaplin has left Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town have confirmed that forward Conor Chaplin will leave Portman Road when his contract expires this summer.

Chaplin went on loan to Portsmouth last summer and helped the Fratton Park club achieve Championship survival by notching two goals and three assists in 36 league appearances.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a memorable Tractor Boys career, scoring for the Suffolk outfit in League One, the second tier, and the Premier League.

He will now search for a new club this summer, while Ipswich are vying to build a squad that can achieve top-flight survival next season.

Leif Davis and Dara O'Shea issue emotional responses to Conor Chaplin's Ipswich Town exit

Chaplin's last goal of the Championship season was his last-minute winner in Portsmouth's 1-0 triumph over Middlesbrough, which played a key role in their successful second-tier survival battle.

He remains a popular figure at Fratton Park, having started his career with Pompey before his spells at Coventry City, Barnsley, and Ipswich.

Meanwhile, the Tractor Boys made a joint post with Chaplin on Instagram on Friday, which read: "Set the standard on the pitch. Set the standard off the pitch.

"Conor Chaplin will depart the club when his contract expires this summer."

Ipswich left-back Leif Davis commented: "One of the best. Will miss you, my boy. Club legend."

Fellow Tractor Boys defender Dara O'Shea echoed that sentiment as he said: "Club legend, Ipswich will miss you."

Davis was a key figure for Kieran McKenna's men once again this season, making 37 Championship appearances and notching two goals and four assists in the process.

The 26-year-old will hope to perform better in the Premier League next season, having failed to make as much of an impact as he would have liked in the top flight in the 2024/25 campaign.

Meanwhile, O'Shea was an extremely reliable asset for McKenna's men this term, starting all 46 Championship games and contributing towards the fact that Ipswich boasted the joint-second-best defensive record in the league.

McKenna's side have already added to next season's centre-back options, as their loan deal for Cedric Kipre became a permanent deal following their promotion.

Furthermore, as reported by French outlet Foot Sur 7, Southampton and Ipswich are both keen on Marseille defender CJ Egan-Riley, who previously won promotion to the Premier League with Burnley.

Egan-Riley would, at the very least, provide healthy competition for the likes of O'Shea and Jacob Greaves next term.

Ipswich supporters will never forget Conor Chaplin's historic contributions

Ipswich have done well to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking this season.

However, it was the Tractor Boys' back-to-back promotions from League One to the top flight in 2023 and 2024 that really captured the imagination of the footballing nation and created a special chapter in history at Portman Road.

Those efforts wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of Chaplin, who notched 26 goals and five assists in the 2022/23 third-tier season before scoring 13 goals and registering eight assists in the 2023/24 Championship campaign.

The former Barnsley man would only make two goal contributions in the 2024/25 Premier League season, but was deserving of his positive moments in the top flight.

Chaplin was League One's joint golden boot winner for the 2022/23 campaign, while Tractor Boys supporters will never forget the historic memories he gave them in both the third tier and the Championship.