Ipswich Town have reportedly moved to the front of the queue to sign Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil, potentially beating out Scottish giants Rangers and Premier League side West Ham for his signature.
The Portman Road hierarchy intensified their pursuit of the 24-year-old over the weekend, leapfrogging other suitors in what is becoming a high-stakes race for the former Black Cats captain.
Transfer Tug-of-War
While Danny Rohl has identified Neil as a top priority for his Rangers rebuild at Ibrox, the latest developments suggest the German manager may be forced to look elsewhere. Despite Rangers lodging their interest with Sunderland’s Director of Football, Florent Ghisolfi, earlier this month, it is Kieran McKenna’s side that currently occupies the “driving seat” in negotiations.
The Situation for Neil:
- Contract Status: His current deal at the Stadium of Light is set to expire this summer.
- Playing Time: After a heroic turn captaining his boyhood club to promotion via the play-offs last year, Neil has recently struggled for minutes following the arrival of Granit Xhaka.
- Omission from Squad: Notably, Neil was absent from Sunderland’s 3-1 loss to West Ham on Saturday as transfer discussions regarding his future reached a critical stage.
Tactical Needs
For Rangers, the need for a midfielder has become more urgent following an injury to Connor Barron. Although the Glasgow side has already secured Tochi Chukwuani this month, Rohl remains eager to bolster his engine room further. However, the financial and competitive lure of Ipswich—who are currently flying high in the Championship—appears to be the decisive factor.
West Ham also remains an interested party, but they currently trail the Suffolk club in the race. If Ipswich successfully finalizes the deal, it would represent a significant coup for McKenna, landing a proven leader with promotion experience just as the winter window nears its conclusion.
