As deadline day chaos unfolds elsewhere, Ipswich have quietly settled on their final move — and it’s a £20m striker who’s just given his own manager an uncomfortable truth to admit

While clubs across the Premier League scramble frantically in the final hours of the window, Ipswich Town appear to have already made peace with their deadline day plan: one more signing, and that’s it.

The Final Piece: Zian Flemming

Ipswich are closing in on a £20 million deal for Burnley striker Zian Flemming, with the Dutch forward expected to be the club’s only incoming addition before the 11pm deadline.

The move received an unintentional stamp of approval from an unlikely source earlier today — Burnley boss Nicky Hayen, who, when pressed on the prospect of losing his side’s top scorer, admitted candidly that “everyone has a value.” It’s the kind of quote that all but confirms a departure is coming.

Flemming, 28, was a standout performer during Burnley’s relegation last season, netting 11 Premier League goals despite his side going down. He’s understood to be keen on the switch to Suffolk, and his arrival would push Ipswich’s total summer spend to a staggering £190 million — while adding genuine firepower to a striker department currently built around Emersonn and Chuba Akpom.

No Centre-Back Incoming Despite Earlier Search

Despite being linked with defensive reinforcements for much of the window, the EADT and Ipswich Star understand it’s now “highly unlikely” the Blues will bring in another centre-back before the deadline. Flemming, it seems, really will be the final word on incomings.

The Outgoings: A Busy Day of Exits

While the arrivals column stays light, plenty has been happening on the departures side:

• Cameron Humphreys has completed a permanent move to League One side Huddersfield Town — but not before signing a new two-year contract at Portman Road first, a smart piece of business that protects the club’s asset.
• Chiedozie Ogbene is heading out on loan to Championship side Lincoln City.
• Tudor Mendel is set for a loan spell at League One club Luton Town.

Meanwhile, several players who spent the summer being linked with Championship moves — Alex Palmer, Jack Taylor, and Anis Mehmeti — all look set to stay put at Ipswich for now.

The Squad Numbers Game

With the 25-man Premier League squad limit in play, Ipswich are reportedly set to leave veteran fourth-choice goalkeeper David Button unregistered, a necessary sacrifice to stay within the rules once Flemming’s arrival is factored in.

The projected 27-man squad (accounting for two age-exempt players who don’t require registration) shapes up as:

Goalkeepers: Scherpen, Walton, Palmer
Defenders: Ouattara*, Furlong, O’Shea, Diop, Greaves, Kipre, Davis
Midfielders: Palacios, Lukic, Florentino, Matusiwa, Nunez, Taylor
Wide/Attacking: Fatawu, McAteer, Enciso, Walle Egeli*, Mehmeti, Maeda, Philogene, Clarke
Strikers: Emersonn, Flemming, Akpom

*Exempt from registration due to age.

The Bottom Line

With a club-record spend already banked and one final marquee arrival expected to land before the deadline, Ipswich look set to enter the season with their squad largely settled — a rare position of calm compared to the frantic scrambling happening at rival clubs across the country.