Ipswich Town are on the look out for a senior keeper to compete with Tomas Holy. STUART WATSON looks at some potential options for boss Paul Lambert.
David Cornell
Welshman has turned down a new deal at Northampton after playing a starring role in their promotion-winning season in League Two. He kept 13 clean sheets and was named in the fourth-tier’s Team of the Year.
There is Championship interest, but Ipswich may be able to persuade the 29-year-old that he’s got more chance of regular football at Portman Road than he would do at the likes of Derby and Birmingham.
Played for Town coach Geraint Williams during the latter’s time in charge of Wales Under-21s and has been watched on several occasions by Blues keeper coach Jimmy Walker.
Daniel Iversen
The young Dane has just enjoyed an impressive season on loan at Rotherham, playing a key role in their League One promotion.
It’s been reported that Leicester – who handed Iversen a five-and-a-half year deal in February – are now keen to get him out on loan again.
A return to the Millers, to gain some Championship experience, would make sense. Rotherham have been linked to other keepers though.
“He’s paid to make saves, so I don’t get too excited by the saves,” said Rotherham boss Paul Warne. “For me it’s more the little things. In the 88th minute he comes and claims a cross. You want your keeper to be brave and take the pressure off your back four. He’s a calming influence. The best compliment I can pay him is that he looks like he’s been here a long while. He was our number one target and he was worth the wait to get.”
Remi Matthews
One of the few players who stuck with Bolton throughout administration, he emerged from their relegation campaign with real credit.
The Trotters have had to cut their financial cloth and now the Gorleston-born former Norwich youth team graduate is a free agent for the first time in his career.
Speaking last month, the 26-year-old said: “Performance-wise, I have done okay in what has been a negative season, so I think I will be alright. It will be a case of waiting to see what is on the table.”
Was on a list of Town targets last summer and has been training with the team in recent days.
David Stockdale
A free agent after being released by Birmingham.
The 34-year-old – who played 18 times for Town on loan from Fulham in 2011/12 – was a Championship regular for Brighton and Birmingham between 2014 and 2018.
However, he’s spent the last two seasons out on loan, finding game time limited at Southend, Coventry and Wycombe. He was on the bench for the Chairboys recently as they won the League One Play-Off Final.
A great character who would provide experience.
Seny Dieng
A regular between the sticks for Doncaster last season on loan from QPR.
Asked about the prospect of the 25-year-old Swiss stopper returning to Keepmoat, Rovers boss Darren Moore said: “From what I’m hearing he’s going to be staking a claim at QPR and I don’t think anyone would argue with that.
“Hopefully we’ve played a part in that. If it wasn’t the case then we’d welcome him back in a heartbeat.”
Arijanet Muric
Manchester City will be keen to get the full Kosovan international’s next loan move right.
The Swiss-born 21-year-old spent last season at Nottingham Forest, but ended up playing just five times after fellow summer recruit Brice Samba made the number one spot his own.
Speaking after Muric’s debut in an opening day 2-1 home defeat to West Brom last August, Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi said: “The second goal can happen. Many goalkeepers would have conceded that goal. The first one was of the type that can be avoided. But Aro is a young keeper and he has a lot of quality. He will help us a lot this season. He needs to learn from this.”
Jamal Blackman
Former England youth team keeper, now 26, has had a string of loan spells during his time at Chelsea.
He was a regular in the Championship during a season at Sheffield United (2017/18), saw a broken leg ruin a year at Leeds (18/19) and last season split his time between Dutch side Vitesse (recalled in January after shortage of game time) and League One outfit Bristol Rovers (acted as solid cover for the injured Anssi Jaakkola).
Now in the final year of his Stamford Bridge contract. Likes playing out from the back.
Alex Palmer
West Brom handed the 23-year-old a new three year deal earlier this month after he helped Plymouth to League Two promotion.
A former England U16 player who has had previous loan spells with Kidderminster, Oldham and Notts County, Palmer kept 15 clean sheets in 41 appearances for the Pilgrims.
“He’s gone away into a tough environment and finished up a promotion winner – that is invaluable experience for a young player learning the realities of the game,” said West Brom’s sporting and technical director Luke Dowling.
“Now we’ll sit down with him in the summer and discuss the next phase of his development, whether that be here or perhaps with another loan.”
Luke Daniels
The former West Brom back-up man enjoyed three good seasons in League One for Scunthorpe, keeping more clean sheets than any other third-tier keeper between 2015 and 2017 (27 in 78 games).
He moved to Championship club Brentford off the back of that form, but found himself behind Daniel Bentley in seasons one and two and then playing second fiddle to David Raya in the campaign just gone.
The Bees have taken the option to extend the 32-year-old’s contract until 2021, but may be willing to sell.
Luke Steele
He was Barnsley’s first choice keeper in the Championship for five seasons and went on to play for Greek side Panathinaikos.
Set to turn 36 in September, the experienced custodian has just been released by Nottingham Forest after spending last season playing back-up to Bartosz Bialkowski on loan at Millwall.
His wages priced him out of a switch to League One last summer. Now he’s a free agent, he’ll be keen to join a club where he can play regularly again.
“Forest want to go a different direction,” he said, speaking back in February. “I feel absolutely fine about it. I’ve been lucky enough to be in it for 19 years as a professional. I feel there is a lot for me to give in terms of playing and training. There isn’t a plan. I’ll take every day and week as it comes, like I always have.”
Sam Walker
Earned a move to Championship club Reading off the back off five good years at Colchester United, but has struggled for game time at the Royals.
He now enters the final year of his deal having made just seven league starts for the Berkshire club.
The 28-year-old, who won the FA Youth Cup with Chelsea, is a lifelong Ipswich Town fan. Speaking after an appearance at Portman Road with Northampton back in 2011, he said: “I have been here so much as a fan so when I got to the stadium and walked out on the pitch, it was big.”
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