Newly promoted Championship side Oxford United and League One Side Barnsley are reportedly targeting Ipswich Town midfielder Idris El Mizouni.
The Tunisian midfielder has spent the last two seasons away from Portman Road on loan at Leyton Orient, but according to the East Anglian Daily Times, the midfielder looks set for a permanent move away this summer.
Who is Idris El-Mizouni?
The midfielder joined the Ipswich academy in 2017, playing a total of 100 minutes during the 18/19 season in which they were relegated from the Championship.
The 23-year-old’s first senior loan spell was with Cambridge United for the second half of the 19/20 season, he would then re-join on another six-month loan the following season in total playing 22 games for Cambridge.
Upon returning to Ipswich in January 2021 he joined League Two side Grimsby Town on loan making six appearances.
In the 21/22 season, he was in and around the Ipswich squad making 12 appearances in all competitions.
The following two seasons he spent on loan with East London side Leyton Orient helping them win the League Two title in 22/23 playing 89 times in all competitions.
The midfielder was also capped by Tunisia once in 2019.
How did Idris El-Mizouni perform last season?
Last season the midfielder started 39 of the 40 games he was available with his season ending early due to a knee injury picked up against Lincoln City.
The midfielder was a key part of the Leyton Orient midfield with 86.5% pass accuracy per 90 which ranked him in the 95% percentile for central midfielders in League One last season, as well as completing 45.5 passes per 90 in what was a possession-based side.
He also performed well in the defensive part of his game-winning a total of 187 duels ranking him in the 90% percentile as well as 46 interceptions and 247 recoveries.
Would Oxford United be a good fit for El-Mizouni?
The next logical step for the midfielder is to make a move to a Championship side. Des Buckingham’s side has already added to the midfield ranks this window with Will Vaulks joining from Sheffield Wednesday as well as Louie Sibley from Derby County.
In addition to this with Cameron Brannagan and Marcus McGuane, there is already a lot of options in the Oxford midfield fighting for the same deeper midfield position meaning that unless somebody were to leave it may be difficult for him to get the same consistent game time which he may get at other clubs.