What a journey it has been for Ipswich Town, from League One, the Tractor Boys are looking forward to their second Premier League campaign in three seasons. How things can change.
Of course, it won't be Kieran McKenna leading the club back to the promised land this time, with Gary O'Neil the man tasked with guiding the newly promoted side to safety.
When the challenge seemed almost impossible, Leeds United and Sunderland showed last term that promotion and staying up is possible, with renewed hope for Ipswich, Coventry City and Hull City in 2026/27.
Getting it right on the recruitment front could be key for the trio, with the Portman Road side enjoying a busy week following the signings of Issa Diop and Abdul Fatawu, with Daizen Maeda soon to follow.
What can Ipswich expect from Daizen Maeda next season
Is there a more unique player in world football than Maeda?
As someone who has brought Celtic together so much in recent years, the Japanese speedster is a real delight to watch, the kind of player who could quickly secure cult status in English football.
Sometimes he might be the best footballer, but for every missed opener or errant pass, there is often a magical moment to follow.
Indeed, the 28-year-old finished 2025/26 leading the way in the Scottish Premiership by missing 'big chances', yet he almost struggled to drag Martin O'Neill's men to the title, after scoring seven goals in the last five league games.
The highlight of the group was undoubtedly the Yokohama man's sublime free kick in the Glasgow derby, a sublime moment for a striker who has achieved almost god-like status at Parkhead.
For a fee of around £10m, Ipswich and O'Neil could turn a profit, with Maeda having scored 50 club goals in the last two seasons combined.
It's not too early to mention his relentless work style and ability to press, with few Premier League defenders likely to endure some afternoons next season.
It would be a real coup for the Celtic talisman, although he is not the only one on the agenda for O'Neil and his team-mates.
Ipswich are ready to tackle Hull City for an £11m signing
It's no real surprise that both Ipswich and Hull have been fishing in the same pond this summer, with the former attempting to secure the signing of Toulouse striker Emersonn, ahead of their newly promoted rivals.
The opposite seems to be happening with Japanese midfielder Hidemasa Morita, 31 years old, who is now set to sign for the Tigers despite being heavily sought after by Town.
The clubs will go head-to-head over the signing of Swiss striker, Breel Embolo, with Onze Mondial reporting that both clubs have held talks, after expressing their interest in the 29-year-old player.
MLS side Atlanta United are keen to make a bid for the Stade Rennais man, although Embolo – who left Monaco in a €13m (£11m) deal last year – is said to be keen on a move to the Premier League.
He is not choosing between Hull or Ipswich, although for the latter, this may represent a bigger coup than signing Maeda, especially given what he has already achieved at Europe's top level.
In Maeda's case, the only concern is whether he can translate his prolific Premiership form to England, with his former team-mate and teammate, Kyogo Furuhashi, enduring a difficult time at Birmingham City, scoring just one Championship goal last season after netting 85 in 165 in Glasgow.
Although Embolo has never tried his luck in English football, he has at least impressed in Europe's top five leagues, under Maeda before Celtic saw him return to Japan.
It must be said, Embolo hasn't been that strong yet, but he has scored goals wherever he has been, including ten of 34 at Rennes in 2025/26.
Be it Monaco, Schalke, Basel or Borussia Monchengladbach, the sought-after mark often boasts a one in three or one in four ratio, while showing consistency around the world.
|
Embolo – Work Record |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The team |
Games |
Goals |
|
Gladbach |
106 |
25 |
|
Basel |
90 |
31 |
|
Monaco |
89 |
22 |
|
Schalke |
61 |
12 |
|
Rennes |
34 |
10 |
|
in Switzerland |
92 |
26 |
Now up to 92 caps for Switzerland, the £11m man has scored 26 times for his country so far, as well as registering 20 assists, scoring twice in his third World Cup this summer. Maeda, on the other hand, has only visited Japan once in the past few weeks.
The Cameroon-born striker is a true number nine, a position he focuses on physically when leading the line for club and country.
Managing to win the race for his signature, ahead of Hull, would mark a good start to the new season for O'Neil's side.
