Potential Ipswich Town exits predicted - Ben Johnson and Harry Clarke named | OneFootball

Ipswich Town are expected to sell at least one of their four right-backs when the January transfer window opens.

Ipswich Town have been backed to sell at least one of their right-backs during the January transfer window as they look to balance Kieran McKenna’s squad.

The Tractor Boys have had a decent season so far, but they have struggled for consistency, which is why they sit just outside the play-off places.

Given the resources at their disposal, and the calibre of player in the Ipswich squad, many expected the Suffolk outfit to be in the mix for a top two finish, and whilst that remains a possibility, it’s clear they need to improve.

Ipswich Town set for important January transfer window with exits expected

So, the January window could help in that sense, as McKenna will no doubt be looking to add one or two players to strengthen the squad, although it will be a case of minor tweaks as opposed to major surgery on the team.

However, the window won’t all be about incomings, and when quizzed by FLW about the one thing he expects to happen in the winter window, Ipswich fan pundit Adam Wilkin explained why he feels reducing the number of right-backs in the squad is a certainty.

“I think the banker is a right back leaving, either on loan or permanently. We’ve got Ashley Young, Darnell Furlong, Harry Clarke and Ben Johnson who can all play in that position.

“Clarke is coming back from an injury, so it could potentially be him who moves out on loan. Johnson has had limited game time in recent games, and he is another one who could go permanently. There was rumoured interest from Fulham in the summer window, and then you’ve got Young, who I don’t really understand why we’ve signed him.

“He’s obviously there for his experience, but he has had little game time since Furlong came in, and I think his substitution cost us the Oxford game, so I think there needs to be a reshuffle at right back.”

Kieran McKenna must settle on a consistent Ipswich XI to get results

Ipswich’s squad is packed full of quality, but the reality is that it could be problematic for McKenna as he hasn’t always settled on his best XI. Plus, having plenty of senior players sitting on the bench, when they would expect to play, may not be good for the dynamic of the team.

That’s certainly the case at right-back, as Furlong, Clarke, Young and Johnson are all good players who have proven themselves in the Championship over the years.

So, you’re not going to keep those four players happy, and it can’t make sense from a financial perspective either, as you would imagine that they are all on decent wages.

With that in mind, it’s hard to disagree that moving on at least one of the right-backs in the January window is nailed on.

Realistically, with Furlong having seemingly established himself as first-choice at the moment, you would expect him to stay, whilst Young is only on a short-term deal, so he may stick around to bring experience and know-how to the dressing room.

Johnson’s ability to play at left-back means he might remain, but an exit wouldn’t be a huge surprise, and it does feel inevitable that Clarke will depart as he looks to get back playing after his injury issues.

Of course, there’s a lot of football to be played before the window opens, and that could still have a big impact on what Ipswich do in the market.

Yet, it’s clear that some changes are needed to freshen up the group, but moving players on will also be a priority for McKenna as he looks to have a core group for the run-in that can take Ipswich back to the Premier League.