Despite losing to Norwich City in the East Anglian derby on Saturday afternoon, Ipswich Town remains in an automatic promotion position with only five Championship matches left.
The team, known as the Tractor Boys, made their way up from League One to the Championship just last season. They’ve been a standout side in the second tier this year and are eyeing a spot in the 2024-25 Premier League.
Under Kieran McKenna’s leadership, Ipswich’s success over the past couple of years has boosted their transfer prospects. They’ve been linked with Seny Dieng from Middlesbrough, although competition includes Crystal Palace and Newcastle United from the Premier League, along with La Liga’s Sevilla. Winning promotion would likely be necessary for Ipswich to secure Dieng’s signature.
Ipswich Town’s current goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky might leave Portman Road at the end of the season since his contract is expiring, leading to the club’s interest in Seny Dieng. However, discussions with Hladky about a new contract are reportedly ongoing.
Considering the attention Dieng is receiving from top clubs and the availability of potentially better options, Ipswich might want to explore other goalkeeping choices for the upcoming summer transfer window. One promising alternative could be Patrick Schulte, a USA international goalkeeper playing for MLS team Columbus Crew. Schulte, 23 years old, has already achieved two clean sheets in six league matches for Columbus this season.
Statistics from FBRef indicate that Schulte is statistically similar to Hladky, while Gavin Bazunu from Southampton ranks as the second most comparable goalkeeper to Ipswich’s current number one. Seny Dieng, the transfer target, comes in third on this list.
| Vaclav Hladky vs Patrick Schulte Stats Comparison, As Per FBRef | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vaclav Hladky 2023/24 Championship* | Patrick Schulte 2023 MLS | |
| Appearances | 41 | 31 |
| Saves | 101 | 90 |
| Save percentage (%) | 66.0 | 69.7 |
| Clean sheets | 13 | 7 |
| Clean sheet percentage (%) | 31.7 | 22.6 |
| Passes completed | 1412 | 898 |
| Pass completion percentage (%) | 85.3 | 79.2 |
| *Stats Correct As Of April 8, 2024 | ||
During the 2023 MLS season, Schulte showcased his goalkeeping prowess by making 90 saves in 31 games, resulting in a solid 69.7% save percentage. In comparison, Hladky, during the 2023-24 Championship season, recorded a 66.0% save percentage with 101 saves in 41 matches.
Schulte, who recently earned his first cap for the United States, has continued to impress in the early stages of the 2024 MLS campaign. With 13 saves in six games, he boasts an impressive 72.2% save percentage.
In terms of clean sheets, Hladky has kept a clean sheet in 31.7% of his 2023-24 Championship appearances, while Schulte has maintained a clean sheet in 33.3% of his 2024 MLS appearances. Their passing statistics are also similar, with Hladky edging slightly ahead in pass completion percentage with 85.3% compared to Schulte’s 81.4% during their respective seasons.
Despite interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, who view Schulte as a potential backup option, Ipswich Town should not be discouraged. The Tractor Boys could offer Schulte regular first-team football in the top flight next season if they secure promotion.
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