Championship clubs Middlesbrough and Luton are said to have ‘joined the race’ to sign Ipswich Town winger Gwion Edwards, according to website Football Insider 24/7.

They report that the duo will rival League One clubs Sunderland and Oxford United for the 27-year-old’s signature as he enters the final year of his Portman Road contract, Town having recently taken up a 12 month extension option in his deal.

Sunderland are understood to be vying for several players that Ipswich are also interested in this summer in the form of left-sided specialist Luke Garbutt, target man Danny Graham and keeper Remi Matthews (all free agents).

STU’S VERDICT

I’m struggling to see how selling Edwards would benefit Town.

First of all, it would be a knock-down offer for a player in the final year of his contract. Then manager Paul Lambert would be restricted with how he could reinvest that money given that a salary cap has just been voted in for League One.

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Town are already short on wingers as it is. And you’re unlikely to get anyone better on £2,200 a week.

In short, Edwards is worth more to Ipswich right now than what clubs would be willing to offer in the current Covid-19 climate.

His form was very up and down last season, but it didn’t help that he rarely had a run of starts and was often played out of position.

It’s worth remembering that the Welshman made an electric start to life at Portman Road in the Championship and he proved at previous club Peterborough that he can be a star man in the third-tier.

Now it’s up to Lambert to get the best out of him.