For days now this has been nothing more than a rumour, but today it was confirmed, by multiple sources, that Ipswich Town are indeed targetting Everton striker Ellis Sims.
The striker had scored seven goals in 17 matches in the Championship for Sunderland before an increasingly desperate Frank Lampard recalled the player, as the Toffies tried to avoid the threat of relegation from the top flight of English football for the first time since 1952. As we all know, Everton were spared the indignity of the drop but only after another last-match decider, and as boardroom panic set in, it was with a new boss!
It did not save Lampard’s job but Sims was utilized by new manager Sean Dyche, and he was rewarded when Simms came on late against Chelsea and earned the visitors a vital point with a late strike at Stamford Bridge. The Sun suggests that Town bid 3.5 million for the player, but I think it would have been a lot lower than that. Conservative estimates suggest that Ipswich would not exceed 2.5 million for any player in the new transfer window, and that seems to make perfect sense. After a four-year absence, we’re in the Championship not the Prem, and we don’t need to run before we can walk!
Sims is a big lad, at 6ft 3 inches, and before his loan to Sunderland, he was successful too with Blackpool, scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances for the Tangerines. He played in total 11 times for Everton last term scoring a single goal but most of his appearances were via the bench. He is still only 22, which is young for a forward who has been prolific wherever he has played. If we get him he could prove to be a valued purchase in the long term, and what we will need in our new environment is lots more goals!
*** For more on this story and other hot news from today watch our daily vlog on YouTube: BEING FRANK ON IPSWICH TOWN It’s short and sweet and to the point.
And all Asia/Aus/NZ-based Ipswich Town fans might like this little link as well: https://chat.whatsapp.com/I8BBbBemTuEF5X06habFOf
