Ipswich Town should hijack Brighton move for Celtic star | OneFootball

Ipswich Town should set their sights on Benjamin Nygren this summer if promoted to the Premier League

Ipswich Town suffered a setback in their bid to win automatic promotion on Tuesday night but their fate is still firmly in their own hands.

Kieran McKenna’s side were beaten 2-0 by relegation-threatened Portsmouth at Fratton Park, leaving them still two points clear of third place Millwall but now with only one game in hand.

Quick-fire goals from Conor Shaughnessy and Colby Bishop sealed all three points for John Mousinho’s side, which ended the Suffolk outfit’s nine game unbeaten run, which had lifted them ahead of Middlesbrough.

The Tractor Boys are seeking a place back in the Premier League after just one year of Championship football, having come 19th in the top flight table in 2025.

The club will already be planning for the summer window with promotion in mind, with their sights set on establishing themselves at that level long-term.

Their business in the transfer window could be key to achieving that goal, meaning it could be a busy summer of investment at Portman Road, provided they get over the line in their promotion battle.

Ipswich must hijack Brighton’s pursuit of Celtic star

It has been reported that Brighton are among the Premier League sides eyeing a deal for Celtic star Benjamin Nygren ahead of the transfer market opening.

There are question marks surrounding his future at Parkhead after just one year, with their qualification for the Champions League next season in doubt amid a tight title battle with Rangers and Hearts.

The right-winger has proven himself as a great addition to the Glasgow outfit this year, but overall results from the team have underwhelmed and he may be tempted by a move to the Premier League instead.

And Ipswich have to get involved in the pursuit of his signing this summer if they can win promotion back to the top flight.

He would be a natural fit for McKenna’s side given their lack of strong options on the right flank.

Sindre Egeli joined last summer in a big money move, but it remains to be seen whether the 19-year-old is yet ready for consistent game time at that level, and Kasey McAteer's performance since arriving from Leicester City have underwhelmed.

Meanwhile, the left side has both Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke competing for minutes, and both are much stronger on that flank than on the right.

Nygren fits an obvious gap in the team that must be improved if Ipswich are to have any chance of being competitive in the Premier League.

The Swede has contributed an impressive 15 goals and five assists in the league this season, as well as four goals and one assist in the Europa League.

Ipswich have to contend with the likes of Brighton in the transfer market

If Ipswich want to be taken seriously as a Premier League club, then it means competing with the likes of Brighton and Bournemouth in the transfer market.

Those two clubs, as well as Brentford, have successfully punched above their weight in the last few years, and the key to that success has been their shrewd activity in the transfer market.

The Tractor Boys need to be aggressive in the summer, and elbowing their way into contention for Nygren’s signing would be a great statement of their intent.

Per stats from Fotmob, Nygren has taken an impressive 3.2 shots per 90, while also creating 2.19 chances per 90.

Someone that consistently dangerous in the final third is something McKenna’s team lacked in 2024/25, and he can be a difference-maker.

The winger can also beat his man and whip a ball into the box, while still getting 5.05 touches in the opposition area per 90.

He would be an ideal fit for Ipswich, and securing his signing would be a great step forward for the club in their bid to compete at a Premier League level.