Ipswich Town are showing a strong interest in Everton defender Lewis Gibson this summer, we understand.
The Blues came close to signing the left-footer in January 2020 but ultimately didn’t manage to get the deal over the line, signing Josh Earl on loan from Preston instead due to delays in Gibson penning a new deal at Goodison prior to heading out on loan.
The defender ultimately joined Fleetwood instead later that month, impressing before the season was cut short by Covid, before spending last season on loan at Reading, making 13 Championship appearances for the Royals.
Gibson’s Everton contract expires at the end of this coming season and it’s understood the 20-year-old is a player Town are seriously considering, with both loan and permanent moves possible at this stage.
The defender joined Everton from Newcastle in the summer of 2017 for a fee which could potentially reach £6million, but has not played any senior football for the club aside from four EFL Trophy appearances for Everton's Under 21s.
Town are in the market for central defenders this summer as Paul Cook rebuilds his squad, following a cull which has seen 20 players depart since the end of last season, with six new faces arriving and plenty more expected to follow.
Former captain Luke Chambers and 2020/21 Town player-of-the year James Wilson have both departed Portman Road, joining Colchester and Plymouth respectively, leaving Luke Woolfenden and Toto Nsiala as the two senior centre-halves available to Cook.
Young Irishman Corrie Ndaba is training with the first-team squad this summer, having been out on loan at Scottish club Ayr when Cook took over at the beginning of March.
Even if the Blues were to make a move for Gibson – a player who has worked under Town coach Francis Jeffers in Everton’s Under 23s – it's understood an experienced centre-half is high on Cook and CEO Mark Ashton’s shopping list.
As previously reported, Ipswich were keen on Luton captain Sonny Bradley before the Hatters skipper committed to a new deal at Kenilworth Road.
Town have so far added a goalkeeper, Vaclav Hladky, wide players Matt Penney and Wes Burns, central midfielders Lee Evans and Rekeem Harper and striker Macauley Bonne this summer.
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