When Ipswich Town are set to sign Sunderland AFC’s Dan Neil - Rangers, Sheffield United may hate it | OneFootball

Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil is expected join Ipswich Town on loan for the remainder of the season in the next 48 hours

Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil is having a medical at Ipswich Town ahead of a loan move to Portman Road until the end of the season, with a deal expected to be completed within the next 48 hours.

As per TWTD, Ipswich Town look to have fended off interest from both Rangers and Sheffield United in the race for Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil, with a deal expected to be confirmed in the next 48 hours.

This will come as a huge blow for both Rangers and Sheffield United, who were both keen on adding the 24-year-old to their ranks this winter, having fallen out of favour at Sunderland.

Neil has made just three Premier League appearances for the Black Cats this season, with Regis Le Bris having preferred other options ahead of him, despite captaining his boyhood club on numerous occasions on their way to promotion last campaign, and now looks set to join Kieran McKenna's side on loan.

Dan Neil to be confirmed as an Ipswich Town player within the next 48 hours ahead of loan switch

As reported by TWTD, Neil is set to become Ipswich's second addition of the summer after the capture of Bristol City winger Anis Mehmeti, with McKenna's side gearing up for a real charge for automatic promotion.

Neil is expected to come in and immediately provide competition for the likes of Azor Matusiwa, Jens Cajuste, and Jack Taylor in midfield.

The deal for Neil looks to be a loan deal until the end of the season, with the South Shields native prepared to return to the Championship this season after his game time at The Stadium of Light has taken a major hit.

Both Rangers and Sheffield United were interested in adding Neil to their ranks this winter, but it looks as though it is Ipswich who have won the race for his signature.

The midfielder, who has spent his entire career at Sunderland, is out of contract at the end of this season, and boss Le Bris had recently confirmed that he was likely to leave his boyhood club before the end of the window, with Portman Road seemingly his destination of choice.

Rangers and Sheffield United hit with blow in pursuit of Dan Neil

Neil was not short of interest this window, as alongside both Rangers and Sheffield United, numerous other clubs in the Championship had voiced their desire to provide the midfielder with an exit route out of Wearside this winter.

Alan Nixon reported that both Leicester and West Brom had shortlisted Neil as a potential option this January, whilst Ben Jacobs confirmed via X that Coventry City were also reportedly interested in striking a deal.

Neil did not travel with the Sunderland squad for their 3-1 defeat away to West Ham at the weekend, as it now appears the reasoning was that Ipswich had agreed to take the midfielder until the end of the season, when he is due to become a free agent.

Kieran McKenna will be hoping that Dan Neil's addition can help ignite Ipswich Town's promotion charge

Indeed, Ipswich's midfield underwent major surgery over the summer, with the likes of Sam Morsy, Massimo Luongo, and Kalvin Phillips all leaving the club, whilst Jens Cajuste returned and Azor Matusiwa signed from Rennes.

Though with Jack Taylor as the only other midfield option, McKenna has sought after a new addition in the middle of the park, and landed on Neil.

Neil has seen his game time take a huge drop off, having made 47 appearances across the Championship and play-offs for Sunderland last season, with the likes of Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra, Enzo Le Fee, and Noah Sadiki all preferred in the centre of the park.

Now, the 24-year-old is on his way to Suffolk for the remainder of the season, and with automatic promotion well within reach for the Tractor Boys, McKenna will be hoping Neil can boost their prospects of an immediate return to the Premier League.