David McGoldrick has been linked with nearly a quarter of the Championship as we move towards Wednesday’s transfer deadline, but any interested clubs watching Saturday’s defeat by Wolves would most likely have left Portman Road slightly perplexed.
McGoldrick’s future is likely to be the hot topic leading into what is otherwise set to be a quiet deadline day at Portman Road, with Cardiff, Aston Villa, Fulham, Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham all linked with a player who is out of contract in the summer.
Manager Mick McCarthy has insisted there has been tentative interest but nothing more, but the Blues boss has also previously described him as an ‘obvious target’ and presented a scenario where it might benefit the club long-term for the forward to depart.
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Sure, he’s shown during his five years at Portman Road just how talented a player he is. He has shown he can create out of nothing, produce when his side needs him and add a touch of class to Town teams who have often looked to grind out success.
But he has cut a frustrated figure of late, continually crowbarred into a wide right role which simply doesn’t suit him. Mick McCarthy knows he wants his box of tricks on the pitch, he just doesn’t have a defined role which plays to his strengths.
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Any interested club would surely be looking to sign McGoldrick as a central player, operating in the No.10 role behind a striker where he is able to create with freedom to express himself.
Yet on Saturday he found himself spending more time in a full-back role than he did threatening on the edge of the Wolves box and, while he certainly did help out defensively with a number of key interceptions, it was clear he was uncomfortable with his task.
He was responsible for looking after flying wing-back Barry Douglas but lost his man before the Scot clipped the ball into the box for what proved to be the winning goal. He was also guilty of losing possession on a number of occasions, both in attacking situations and to put his side under pressure in the defensive third.
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To his credit he showed strength in the tackle and got back well to make vital interceptions both with feet and head, but there was no spark to lift his side as they chased an equaliser.
McCarthy joked on Friday that he and McGoldrick may walk away from Portman Road ‘hand in hand’ in the summer.
There is certainly a sense that it’s when, rather than if his time in Blue comes to an end.
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