The last few years have been nothing short of a roller coaster for Ipswich Town.
Kieran McKenna has led the team from mid-table in League One all the way up to the Premier League for the first time in two decades.
However, while it’s been a fairy-tale rise for much of that time, this season has been something of a brutal reminder of just how tough the top-flight can be.
That said, while it’s looking like the Tractor Boys will be back in the Championship next season, they have the players to bounce right back up, including one who might be a future England star, who is their version of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Ipswich's future England stars
So, before we get to the star who could well be the next Trent, it’s worth looking at a couple of Ipswich players who have a chance of breaking into the England squad in the future, starting with Omari Hutchinson.
Now, we will admit that this does feel like something of a longshot at this point, but there are a couple of reasons why the former Chelsea ace could one day find himself with the Three Lions on his chest.
The first is that, despite still being just 21 years old, he has established himself as an important member of a Premier League side and, on top of being able to play in a few positions, has racked up a reasonable tally of 22 goal involvements in 78 appearances for the Tractor Boys.
Furthermore, he is already a part of England’s U21 side, starting the last game against Portugal and already amassing a haul of four goal involvements in four games.
Now, the Blues star who seems destined to break into the senior side sooner rather than later is Liam Delap, who is also a part of the U21 side and now has a tally of five goal involvements in 12 games for them.
Moreover, and more importantly, he’s one of the most exciting strikers in the Premier League and, despite playing for a bottom-three side, has scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 30 games in the competition this year.
However, Delap is not the only Ipswich star who seems like he will get a cap at some point, as there is another first-teamer who’s been with the club since the League One days who could be their own Trent.
Ipswich's own Trent
While there are a few decent defenders in McKenna’s squad this season, like Dara O’Shea and Axel Tuanzebe, when it comes down to which is most like Trent, there is only one answer: Leif Davis.
Now, we are not saying that the “unbelievable” 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Harvey Davies, is as good as the Liverpool star, as that would be somewhat absurd.
However, we are saying there are similarities between the two defenders and that the former Leeds United gem is exceptionally talented.
The most important similarity between the pair is how often they bomb forward and how effectively they get the ball into dangerous areas for their teammates.
For example, in his 118 appearances since moving to Portman Road, the Blues gem, whom writer Harvey Davies claims has “got better every year”, has scored six goals and provided 38 assists in 119 appearances, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.70 games.
Appearances
119
349
Goals
6
22
Assists
38
87
Goal Involvements per Match
0.37
0.31
For his efforts, the Liverpool-born international has scored 22 goals and provided 87 assists in 349 appearances, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.20 games.
Ultimately, not only is Davis more than good enough to help Ipswich get back to the Premier League at the first time of asking next season, but he’s also good enough to make it into an England squad one day, and could well be the left-sided Trent in the future.
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