Ipswich Town backed to let Wolves win race for Dan Neil – it ‘makes a lot of sense’ | OneFootball

FLW’s Ipswich Town fan pundit has commented on emerging interest from Wolves in Dan Neil.

Ipswich Town have their sights set on an immediate return to the Premier League.

The Tractor Boys have a huge opportunity of gaining automatic promotion, while they have their place in the play-offs assured should results go against them.

It would be a brilliant feat for Kieran McKenna to achieve, particularly as massive pressure was on for the club at the start of the season to perform and be situated towards the top end of the Championship standings.

While nothing has been secured yet, the Ipswich hierarchy may be building transfer plans for the 2026-27 Premier League season, aiming to avoid the same mistakes that cost the Suffolk-based outfit their place in the top-flight last term.

One of those decisions will be whether to make Dan Neil’s loan spell at Portman Road a permanent one from Sunderland.

The midfielder linked up with Ipswich towards the latter stages of the January transfer window and has so far been rotated in and out of the side as McKenna looks to keep legs in the middle of the park as fresh as possible.

While he hasn’t been the regular in the team he would have wanted, Neil will be desperate to feature in the Premier League very soon in his career, particularly after he helped Sunderland get back to the promised land, but wasn’t given an ample opportunity in the top-flight.

Neil is also set to have a number of suitors given he is set to become a free agent this summer, and Wolves, whose relegation back to the Championship was confirmed earlier this week, reportedly have an interest in the 24-year-old, as per an exclusive right here at FLW.

With this in mind, FLW’s Ipswich Town fan pundit has commented on whether the Tractor Boys should also join the race or let Wolves secure his signature this summer.

Ipswich Town told to let Wolves win the race for Dan Neil

Speaking to Football League World, Ipswich Town fan pundit Adam Wilkin has advised the club not to pursue a permanent deal for Dan Neil should they gain promotion back to the Premier League, believing the midfielder isn’t ready for the step-up in class based off his loan spell at Portman Road and Sunderland rejection.

He also says he is happy to let Wolves win the race, with Neil a “solid” Championship player who would benefit Rob Edwards' men in their task to immediately get back to the top-flight.

Adam told FLW: “From what I’ve seen from Dan Neil so far, I don’t think he’d be our first-choice option if we were to get promoted into the Premier League.

“He seems like a pretty solid Championship player, but it’s hard to judge as he’s not played much football in the last six months, and it does look like he’s still getting up to speed.

“As a newly-promoted team, Sunderland saw no room for him in their squad, and if we’re looking to be ambitious enough to stay up, then I don’t think that he would be our top target anyway.

“I think a move to Wolves probably makes a lot of sense for Wolves, for Dan Neil and for us, probably.”

Ipswich Town should look away from Dan Neil if they reach the Premier League

It’s been a very tough season for Dan Neil, who earned just 13 minutes of Premier League football during the first half of the season with Sunderland.

Lacking the fitness, coming back into the rough and tumble of the Championship has been a bit of a struggle, with this period mainly being used to get him back up to speed after such a lengthy lay-off.

It’s probably been the main reason as to why Ipswich haven’t seen the best of the midfielder, although he will have an opportunity between now and May 2nd to prove his worth.

But for now, though, Ipswich are likely to not be interested in a permanent deal, particularly if they gain promotion back to the Premier League.

In order to try and establish themselves in the big time, the Tractor Boys would need to sign players with proven Premier League experience and success, with that approach needing to be adopted this time around if they are to avoid the dreaded dropzone.

Someone like Neil would definitely benefit from another full season in the Championship, so a move to Wolves instead seems like an agreement that suits all parties, with Wolves getting such a dynamic second tier operator when fully fit and firing.

Therefore, it’s wise for Ipswich to look elsewhere should they make an immediate step-up back to the big time, with Neil yet to have the top-flight pedigree to make a noticeable difference.