We are just over the halfway point of the season, and it would be fair to say things aren’t looking too bad for Ipswich Town.
Now, it is true that Kieran McKenna’s side are sat in the relegation zone, but results have improved in recent weeks, and they are still within touching distance of safety.
Moreover, with the transfer window in full swing, the club have a chance to further strengthen the squad and bolster their chances of survival.
That said, while reinforcements will undoubtedly help, we can’t imagine they’ll bring in anyone more valuable than one of their current stars, including Jadan Philogene.
Ipswich's January dealings
So, with so much on the line, there was an expectation that Ipswich would be at least somewhat active in the transfer market this month, and so far, anyway, they have been.
For example, just five days into the window, Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey joined the club on loan until the end of the season, and while he struggled to make an impact in Serie A, this could prove to be a brilliant deal.
The former Everton ace has 112 Premier League appearances to his name, two England caps and can play across the backline and even in defensive midfield if needed.
With that said, while the York-born defender will undoubtedly add some more solidity to the Tractor Boys, he won’t add much excitement, at least not as much as the club’s second addition, Jaden Philogene.
It took a little while for the deal to be officially completed, but it was finally announced on Wednesday afternoon that he had joined Ipswich for around £20m.
It’s certainly a lot of money to spend on a player with just 334 minutes of top-flight football to his name, but considering he racked up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and six assists in just 32 Championship appearances for Hull City last season, it could prove a wise investment a few years from now.
That said, there is a current Ipswich star who spent time with the Tigers last season, someone worth considerably more than £20m.
The Ipswich star worth millions more than Philogene
So, to get straight to the point, it will come as no surprise that the player we are talking about is, of course, Liam Delap.
The former Manchester City prospect, who also cost £20m in the summer, is now worth up to €41.3m according to Football Transfers, which converts to about £34.77m, or £14.77m more than Philogene is set to cost.
Now, while that is undoubtedly a lot of money, it could be argued that the Englishman should be worth even more, as so far this season, he has been utterly spectacular.
Appearances
21
Starts
19
Minutes
1553′
Goals
8
Assists
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.47
Minutes per Goal Involvement
155.3′
For example, even though he is playing for a relegation-threatened team and had limited top-flight experience prior, the incredible “one-man battering ram,” as dubbed by Opta Analyst, has scored eight goals and provided two assists in just 21 appearances, totalling 1553 minutes.
That means that the 21-year-old phenom is currently averaging a goal involvement every other game, or every 155.3minutes, which, again, for a team battling down in the relegation zone is simply sublime.
Ultimately, there can be no debate over Ipswich’s best player this season, and should they manage to keep themselves up, the sky is the limit for Delap’s future valuation.
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