LOOK no further for Ipswich Town’s much talked about 20 goals a season striker – he’s already playing for us!

His name is Connor Wickham, he’s just turned 18, he’s one of the hottest prospects in English football, and he’s committed his short-term future to the Blues.

Given a full, injury-free season playing up front for Town, Wickham will solve the goalscoring problem – absolutely no doubt about it.

He has all the right ingredients to be our first 20 goals a season man since Darren Bent and Shefki Kuqi.

Let’s look at the stats. Since Paul Jewell’s arrival, Wickham has scored eight goals in 17 league games. Simple maths tells us that’s pretty much a goal every other game.

And for most of that time, he’s been playing in a withdrawn role on the left!

Through a full, 46-game season, that scoring rate would deliver 20 goals, even allowing for missing a few matches because of minor injuries or suspension.

He’s been transformed under Jewell, after a frustrating first half of the campaign with Roy Keane, who didn’t seem to trust him to start games. Admittedly, he also had injury problems.

On Tuesday night, against Middlesbrough, Ipswich were struggling with Jason Scotland up front on his own.

As soon as Jewell changed it – with Scotland going off, Lee Martin playing wide left and Josh Carson wide right, and Wickham as the spearhead – Town were transformed.

Wickham terrifies defenders at this level. His sheer physical presence is a huge factor, especially given Jimmy Bullard’s precision delivery from corners and free-kicks.

He can finish too. Most of his goals have been close-range efforts, so Jewell’s “Fox in the Box” is here already!

Most Town fans think that Wickham should start games up front. Let’s hope that happens for the rest of the season and that Town’s attack is built around him for the next campaign.

Next problem – who should his strike partner be?

n WHAT do you think? Is Connor the answer to all Town’s striking needs?

Let us know at: sport@eadt.co.uk