THE vultures will once again be circling around Aaron Cresswell this summer.

That’s according to Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy after the left-back’s goal-of-the-season contender in Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at Portman Road.

The 23-year-old has played every minute of every game this season, starting 92 of the club’s 94 games since Paul Jewell signed him for League One club Tranmere Rovers for a tribunal set fee of £240,000 – potentially rising to £520,000 – in the summer of 2011.

Aston Villa were given short shrift when they made an enquiry about the youngster soon after he was named ‘Player of the Season’ after his debut campaign in Suffolk.

“He’s been excellent,” said McCarthy. “He’s a really, really talented full-back. I believe there was interest in him last year. And while I’m not trying to sell my players, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t interest in him again this summer.

“He’s a Premier League footballer in the making Cressie, no doubt about that. He’s got good pace, has got a good left-foot. He can defend, he’s not the biggest but he can head it. He’s a good competitor.

“When I came in I didn’t know what to expect from him. We looked at him at Wolves, our scouting system had looked. And he’s been everything that I’d have hoped for.

“Since November – and I can only judge him on that – he’s been outstanding.

“He’ll be attracting attention because he’s a good player.”

Cresswell signed an improved contract until the summer of 2015 last October, with that deal including the option of a further year too.

Asked generally about the prospect of some of his improved players being in demand this summer, McCarthy said: “Whatever. If they are then great because it means they’ve played well. That doesn’t bother me in the slightest that.

“We all want to do well and be as good as we possibly can. Whether that’s players who want to move up to the Premier League, or whether that’s me. We’re all ambitious.

“If somebody comes in and buys one for big dough, then we’ll go and get another one and start again. That’s the football world.”

– See tomorrow’s Ipswich Star for an Aaron Cresswell interview.