Former Chelsea and Manchester City stars join Ipswich's new XI to inspire Premier League survival

Ipswich Town have begun building their Premier League line-up ahead of their return to the top flight.

The Tractor Boys finished runners-up in the Championship behind Leicester City last season, sealing back-to-back promotion from League One to the Premier League.

It will be the first time the Suffolk side have played in the Premier League since 2002, under Matt Holland and Hermann Hreidarsson.

Now Kieran McKenna has the task of getting the team he brought from the third tier ready for the top flight, and he has already made a few additions.

Omari Hutchinson was on loan from Chelsea last season, but the Tractor Boys have since… They broke their transfer record to bring him back to Portman Road, sealing a deal worth £22.5million.

The winger was a key part of McKenna's side that stormed to promotion last season and many of those players who helped them rise are likely to keep their places.

However, Ipswich are also set to introduce several new faces to their starting XI.

Ipswich's first-choice goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky left the club this summer after failing to agree a new deal and has since become a free agent.

Veteran goalkeeper David Martin has joined as player-coach, but Christian Walton, who is the club's only other veteran goalkeeper, is more likely to be between the sticks at the moment.

However, Walton's last consistent minutes have come in League One, and Ipswich have been linked with two glove-wearing players this window, including Fenerbahce's Dominik Livakovic.

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There has also been talk of Brighton's Carl Rushworth, who starred on loan at Swansea last season. The 23-year-old Seagulls player is unlikely to get Premier League minutes for Brighton, so a move to Ipswich would be the logical move.

Moving on to defence, the centre-back duo of Cameron Burgess and Luke Woolfenden were mainstays last season.

But Ipswich have been linked with other centre-backs, with reports suggesting the Tractor Boys were keeping a close eye on Liverpool's Nat Phillips.

talkSPORT understands Ipswich are also interested in a left-back. Hull star Jacob Greaves.

Leif Davis has been a success for Ipswich at left-back, registering an impressive 21 assists last season, as well as two goals.

On the other side of the defence will be right-back Ben Johnson, who arrived on a free transfer from West Ham this season.

Massimo Luongo and Sam Morsy are likely to remain in the lineup, with Conor Chaplin, who scored 13 league goals last season, completing the midfield trio.

In attack, Hutchinson is likely to be joined by two new faces in Ipswich's front three.

The former Chelsea man will play on the right wing, while Hull's Jaden Philogene, who scored the 'goal of the century' at Rotherham earlier this year – will come in on the left flank.

Everton looking to take advantage of this movebut Ipswich are confident the move will go through, so stay tuned.

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In front is Delap. No, not that one.

Rory Delap's son Liam, 21, has been in the Manchester City squad since 2020.

He spent last season at Hull, so would fit in well with Philogene.

The England youth international has scored 12 goals in 68 Championship games during loan spells with Tigers, Preston and Stoke.

AND A permanent £20m dealcould breathe life into Ipswich's attack ahead of a big season.

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