West Brom, Cardiff City & Bolton must try to sign £12m Ipswich Town man | OneFootball

Kasey McAteer could be set for a departure from Ipswich this summer. West Brom, Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers would be apt suitors

One year on from making a £12 million move from Leicester City, Kasey McAteer could be on his way out of Ipswich Town as they prepare for the Premier League.

The move raised eyebrows at the time, not only because of the eight-figure fee that the Tractor Boys paid for the 24-year-old, but also because McAteer hadn't exactly set the world alight in the first team at the King Power Stadium.

The right-midfielder scored eight times in 56 senior appearances for the Foxes, after coming through their academy.

One of those goals came in the Premier League in 2024/25, but he started just nine top-flight games that year. The season before, when Leicester won the Championship, he started just 13 league games.

*Includes two bench appearances for Leicester

14 of his 28 league appearances at Portman Road were from the off, and he scored three times in the final eight games to help Kieran McKenna's side secure automatic promotion. But he was only a squad player in the Championship, and with Ipswich now strengthening for a Premier League campaign, the 24-year-old is "up for grabs," according to Darren Witcoop.

These three Championship clubs should be wary of his situation and look to secure a move, ideally on loan, for McAteer if he does leave Ipswich this summer.

West Bromwich Albion

Action images

West Brom are looking to put the scare of last season's relegation near-miss behind them and push back towards being a play-off contender under club legend James Morrison, whose stellar job as interim boss helped the Baggies steer clear of League One.

In the head coach's brief time as interim, he oversaw a switch in form that was built primarily on hard work and being difficult to score against. West Brom went on a run of seven clean sheets in eight leading up to the final day to secure their Championship status.

However, this summer, Morrison has lost his natural right midfielders. Jed Wallace was allowed to leave at the end of his contract, and towards the end of last season, the Baggies boss was using natural central midfielder Jayson Molumby off the right.

So, a new right-sided midfielder is needed who can work hard for the club and has the potential to be a top player in a play-off-calibre side. McAteer ticks those boxes and could finally become a regular starter at the Hawthorns.

Cardiff City

Action Images

Cardiff City are heading into the new Championship campaign with a lot more optimism than they had a couple of years ago. Brian Barry-Murphy reinvigorated the side last season, and many are looking forward to seeing what the former Manchester City academy manager can do in the second tier for the first time in his dugout career.

Before he joined the Bluebirds last summer, though, he was the first-team coach at Leicester under Ruud Van Nistelrooy. He was able to see McAteer first hand in the Premier League, and could use his past connections to bring him to the Welsh capital.

Now Cardiff, unlike West Brom, aren't in any real hurry to bring in a new perceived starting right-winger. Only Ilmari Niskanen and Reyes Cleary picked up more assists in League One last year than Ollie Tanner, who set up 12 goals in just 28 appearances.

However, it's uncertain whether the 24-year-old will be able to make that transition back to the Championship. In his last two campaigns at the level, he recorded four goals and three assists in 65 games.

Maybe a year in League One will have done him good, but it's always useful to have quality options, and McAteer could provide that strength in depth on the right side.

Bolton Wanderers

Action Images

Bolton Wanderers desperately need attacking additions before the summer transfer window closes if they are to ensure that their first season back in the Championship after a seven-year exile doesn't see them in an immediate relegation battle.

The Trotters heavily relied on loan players at the top end of the pitch to help them secure promotion via the play-offs last season. Amario Cozier-Duberry was one of the most exciting players in the third tier, Mason Burstow netted a team-high 12 goals, and both Johnny Kenny and Ibrahim Cissoko contributed massively during the run-in.

None of them are at the Toughsheet Stadium currently, albeit Bolton fans would love to see both Cozier-Duberry and Kenny continue their careers with them. But even if they do make a return, Steven Schumacher will need more additions before the window closes.

The Wanderers boss has stated that he needs two strikers and two wingers at least before September 1, and McAteer could easily fill that gap on the right wing.

There'll be competition, no doubt. Bolton journalist Marc Iles has stated that lots of teams are looking at McAteer, but the 24-year-old would be exactly what Schumacher needs to strengthen his attacking options this summer.