Ipswich Town, Sammie Szmodics transfer prediction made after Derby County switch - this outcome 'wouldn't surprise me' | OneFootball

FLW's Ipswich Town Fan Pundit has explained where he sees Sammie Szmodics' future following his move to Derby County on loan.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Ipswich Town will be looking to bounce back this weekend in the Championship and win for the first time since January 20, as they visit Derby County.

The Tractor Boys had been scheduled to face Portsmouth on Tuesday evening in a rescheduled clash between the two sides following a postponement earlier in the campaign, but a waterlogged pitch saw the game cancelled once again.

Therefore, Kieran McKenna's side's next game will come in the East Midlands, with John Eustace's Derby team looking to build on their 5-0 demolition of Bristol City and take just their fifth victory at Pride Park in 2025/26.

It's a game that will not feature Sammie Szmodics, after the attacking ace moved to the Rams late on transfer deadline day. Now, with the 30-year-old on loan at DE24, one Ipswich supporter has weighed in on where his future lies once this campaign is over.

Sammie Szmodics told his Ipswich Town career could be over

Szmodics' time at Portman Road has been difficult, and while he got off to an incredible start with a goal against Manchester City, he has found the back of the net just four more times since with injuries becoming a big problem.

However, this is a fresh start for the Republic of Ireland international, and he will be fully prepared for the task at hand at Derby. Yet, when asked about his future with the Tractor Boys, Football League World's Ipswich Fan Pundit, Adam Wilkin, cast doubts.

He said: "I think the loan move to Derby is probably the end of Sammie Szmodics’ career at Ipswich Town. Everyone knows we were after a permanent sale, and it was just a negotiation around the fee.

"It wouldn't surprise me if this loan deal has a mandatory fee at the end, and it's been done as a loan deal to basically stop him playing against us at the weekend. I think we'll always have the memories of the four goals that he scored in the Premier League."

Adam concluded: "He did a good job there before he got injured, but injury problems and a lack of form and a lack of stylistic fit into our system means that it's probably not going to be too much of a miss with him leaving for Derby. I think he'll do well at Derby under Eustace, whom he's had success under before. It’s one of those where it just wasn't a fit for our system at the time."

Ipswich Town may have to back down on £6m asking price for Sammie Szmodics

This is a make-or-break few months for Szmodics and if he wants to return to the Premier League, he will have to get back to the levels that he showed with Blackburn Rovers in 2023/24 - when he won the Championship Golden Boot.

However, if he does fail to show consistency, as he has done throughout his time at Ipswich, then the Tractor Boys may have to lower the £6m asking price that they have set on the attacking midfielder.

Wrexham were interested in a permanent deal for Szmodics, as well as Derby, but it was the Rams who won the race for the ex-Peterborough United man, and they may just get the first bite of the cherry at him in the summer.

Nevertheless, it seems that his time at Ipswich has all but come to an end, and this loan move to the East Midlands could well be a long-term trial.