Coventry City and Ipswich could sign 30-goal ‘Kane-like’ midfielder

For Ipswich Town, it has been a year since they last finished in the Premier League. For Coventry City, it has been a long time, 25 years in fact, since they last played top-flight football.

The fans carried placards in the stadiums in 2001 saying that they will come back. Little did they know it would take a quarter of a century to do so.

Alas, once Coventry and Ipswich are done celebrating their respective promotions, they will have to look to deal with recruitment.

Top of the agenda for both teams should be finding a goalscorer to defend them in the Premiership. Leeds United signed a proven striker in the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin last summer and Sunderland brought in Brian Brobbey. Both are successful and are the main reasons why they are not sleeping after getting the promotion.

There is a lesson that Frank Lampard and Kieran McKenna can follow

Last season, Ipswich had Liam Delap leading the line. He impressed so much that it earned him a big money move to Chelsea. Although he couldn’t keep them in this category, the Tractor Boys will be on the hunt for their next Delap brand.

As for the Sky Blues, it will be a case of looking at their new Dion Dublin, one of their past stars.

Who would sign? However, both have been linked with Swansea City’s Zan Vipotnik, who won the Championship’s golden boot. At a price of £15m, it would seem a wise price to pay for his signature.

Another option would be Troy Parrott. Reports late last year suggested Coventry were interested in signing the Irishman from AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands.

If Lampard’s side are still in the hunt, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ipswich were also sniffing around. Before being sold by Tottenham Hotspur, Parrott actually had a loan spell at Portman Road.

That said, he didn’t set the world on fire, scoring just two goals in 18 games. However, he is now a very different animal, costing as much as £24m.

Why Parrott could be an upgrade for Coventry and Ipswich

The merciless. That’s what you need to be to stay in the Premier League. Sunderland and Leeds proved it too much.

The Black Cats essentially tore through their entire promotion-winning squad. Very few members of the Championship side are still in the starting XI. Wilson Isidor was sidelined in favor of Brobbey and Joel Piroe, top scorer in the second division in 2024/25, was replaced by Calvert-Lewin at Leeds.

Coventry, in particular, should take note. Hagi Wright had a fantastic season in front of goal for Lampard’s side, scoring 17 and finishing third in the goalscoring charts behind the aforementioned Zipotnik and Hull City’s Oliver McBurnie.

Ipswich shared the goals quite a bit with wingers Jack Clarke and Jaden Philogene scoring 38 times between them. George Hirst also chipped in with 11 strikes.

They have announced the permanent arrival of Chuba Akpom but with just two goals in 29 league games, he will not make it to the Premier League; that is true.

While Clarke and Philogene will still play important parts for McKenna next term, he and Lampard must improve their strikers. Parrott represents a great opportunity if he leaves the Eredivisie behind.

He is currently the best striker in the league. He left Spurs and flourished. He is said to be “like Harry Kane” by one prominent football analyst on social media, he has been scoring goals regularly.

After netting 20 times in 47 games last season, the Republic of Ireland player has taken his game to the next level this season. He has 30 goals in 46 games, ten of those coming in the Conference League.

He is a ruthless striker, the definition of a true hunter and could be just what Ipswich and Coventry need to fire them to safety in 2026/27.

Boast speed, aggression and directness, Lampard could be the new Viktor Gyokeres of the club. For McKenna, a new Delap may be on its way to Portman Road.

Whoever the signing is, expect the Irishman to be playing Premier League football next term.