Ipswich Town can source ideal Sam Morsy upgrade from Coventry City: View

Ipswich Town and Kieran McKenna are aiming for the Premier League, but will need to strengthen their roster.

They will want to do so since Premier League life can be difficult if proper changes are not made, as some players may struggle to meet the standards of the top tier.

Sam Morsy, a 32-year-old midfielder, may be replaced by a younger, Premier League-ready candidate, despite playing a significant role in the club’s promotion from the Championship.

Ben Sheaf, who has impressed for Coventry City this season, could easily make the jump to the Premier League if Ipswich come calling.

Ben Sheaf is Premier League-ready.

Sheaf has been a star performer for Coventry and the Championship this season.

The 26-year-old has been a key player for the Sky Blues as the team attempts to reach the play-offs again, as well as a run to the FA Cup semi-finals.

This season, he has demonstrated why he was a graduate of Arsenal FC’s system and why many fans, commentators, and journalists have called the Englishman “Premier League ready” across all competitions.

The midfielder is also versatile, having played on both the attacking and defensive sides of the midfield, which is ideal in today’s game, as teams want to transition swiftly between passing out of defence and starting an attack.

Ipswich needs younger upgrades.

Upgrades are necessary for promoted teams, especially those moving from League One to the Premier League in two seasons, to avoid immediate relegation. McKenna and Ipswich will be no exception.

McKenna may look to replace or upgrade defensive midfielders.

Morsy is currently deployed in the Northern Irishman’s 4-2-3-1 formation alongside Massimo Luongo, and while he has played in a quality club that has gained Premier League promotion, it might be argued that the Egyptian is in need of an improvement.

It should be noted that both Luongo and Morsy are older than thirty. The latter is almost 33 years old, so there will be a need for a younger midfielder who can be used for years to come, as well as someone with the skill and discipline to compete in the Premier League next season.

Sheaf, as well as any other midfield targets who emerge during this transfer window, would assist with this. McKenna is interested in recruiting the Coventry star to strengthen his squad and potentially reduce its age, according to Alan Nixon’s Patreon post. Sheaf is now 26, and if the goal is to cease relying on the seasoned duo of Luongo and Morsy, who will not be around indefinitely, now is the time to strike as a Premier League team once again.

Should Kieran McKenna make a change?

McKenna may want to replace his midfield, but Morsy and Luongo have proven to be reliable players even in a new tier.

The two have combined for 85 appearances, with Luongo appearing 43 times and Morsy 42 times in an incredibly impressive season; it would be foolish to rule out the pair rising up another level given what they’ve recently done. Both of these appearance totals outperform Sheaf, who, as seen in the chart above, made only 31 games in the Championship and sustained a few of injuries. Nonetheless, he has been in a significant number of games this campaign and can be relied upon.

The Ipswich pair’s on-paper stats look comparable to Sheaf’s. Luongo has not scored this season, but he has contributed three assists. Meanwhile, Morsy has out-assisted Sheaf and scored the same number of goals as him, implying that the team already possesses the desired level of talent.

Using Sofascore’s comparison tool, it’s evident that Morsy’s performance has improved in some areas, but his age may be affecting his contributions in others.

Sheaf averaged more tackles and interceptions per game than Morsy and appears to be a far more reliable defensive player, which will be critical for McKenna and Ipswich in the Premier League’s harsh landscape.

Unsurprisingly, he had fewer yellow cards and committed less fouls than Morsy during the Championship season, demonstrating that despite his much younger age, he is seasoned and can remain calm in games. This will be vital for McKenna once more, demonstrating that it may be prudent not to rely on a player above the age of 30 for too long, especially in the ultra-competitive Premier League.

Hutchinson has said his goodbyes to the Tractor Boys, but it remains to be seen whether he will return this summer.

McKenna, then, should be looking at Sheaf as a quality addition to the squad, and perhaps not a simple replacement for an aging midfielder. Whoever does end up signing Sheaf will be getting one of the best midfielders in the Championship. For Ipswich, he can be an upgrade on Morsy and ease the pressure on both the Egyptian and Luongo as they embark on the Premier League.

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