Ipswich Town braced for Nottingham Forest bid for crucial star after rejecting Premier League offers

Ipswich Town braced for Nottingham Forest bid for crucial star after rejecting Premier League offers

Premier League Interest Mounts as Ipswich Fight to Keep Key Stars

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna will be eager to hold on to his top talent amid growing Premier League interest, as the Championship side kicked off their 2025/26 campaign with a tense 1-1 draw against newly promoted Birmingham City on Friday night.

Jay Stansfield gave Birmingham the lead, sending St Andrew’s into celebration, but a late and controversial penalty allowed George Hirst to equalise for Ipswich.

With nearly a month remaining in the summer transfer window, the squad that featured in Friday’s match may look very different by the time the window slams shut on September 1.

Forest Eyeing Leif Davis After £35m Hutchinson Bid Rejected

Following their relegation from the Premier League, Ipswich have seen several of their standout players attract top-flight interest. Chelsea recently signed Liam Delap in a £30 million deal, while winger Omari Hutchinson was also close to a move, only for a deal with Brentford to collapse.

Now, as reported by David Ornstein, Nottingham Forest had a £35 million bid for Hutchinson turned down, with Ipswich demanding a higher fee.

In a new twist, Forest have now turned their attention to left-back Leif Davis. Journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on X that Forest are preparing an offer for the defender, while Sky Sports reports that Ipswich have already rejected multiple offers for Davis this summer and have “no intention of selling.”

Davis played the full match against Birmingham, impressing both defensively and going forward, and his potential departure would be a major blow to McKenna’s plans.

McKenna Determined to Keep Davis at Portman Road

Speaking after the Birmingham draw, McKenna admitted that Ipswich still have “a lot of work to do” both in training and in the transfer market if they’re to push for promotion this season.

Davis’ performance on Friday—winning 100% of his defensive duels—highlighted just how vital he is to the team. But with Premier League clubs circling, Ipswich could be at risk of losing not just Davis, but also Hutchinson, despite both being key figures in their promotion ambitions.

If Ipswich are serious about bouncing straight back to the Premier League, keeping hold of their top talents will be absolutely crucial. But with offers already on the table, the battle to retain them is far from over.