Ipswich Town have beaten a wealth of competition for Stevenage midfield prospect, Ryan Doherty, with a move set to take place in the coming days before Monday’s 7 pm deadline.
The midfielder has been on the edges of the first team at The Lamex for a few years now, and featured in a string of matches across December, earning plaudits for his notable performance against League leaders Cardiff City last month.
According to reports from Pete O’Rourke, the midfielder will join Ipswich Town amid competition from several Premier League and Championship clubs.
Ipswich Town Fend Off Competition For Midfield Sensation
According to previous reports from Football Insider, Ipswich have won the race for Doherty amid competition from the likes of high-spending Birmingham City and Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth.
The midfielder signed his first professional deal for the club last summer and has made three first-team appearances since, establishing himself as a regular feature in Alex Revell’s matchday squads at a young age.
Now, it appears his destination will be South East Sussex, with Ipswich Town emerging as the winners in the race for Doherty’s signature.
It is to be expected that the striker will join the club’s youth ranks or possibly be sent out on loan for regular minutes, with the signing appearing to be for the future rather than the current situation.
For the first team, Ipswich have added Bristol City star Anis Mehmeti and Sunderland’s Dan Neil to bolster an already-impressive Tractor Boys midfield as Kieran McKenna’s side looks to compete with Coventry City and Middlesbrough for automatic promotion.
Stevenage Lose Midfield Starlet
Doherty’s departure signals a harsh reality of lower league football, with young prospects at League One and League Two levels leaving before a true impression on the first team can be made.
However, once interest circles young, unproven talents, it can become difficult to turn down the right fee. On the face of it, the fee received could signal excellent business for the Hertfordshire club.
It may be difficult to reinvest the fee into the first team, given that the transfer window is entering its penultimate days; however, that is not to say the club won’t benefit in the future.
In sum, Doherty made 11 appearances for Boro’s first team and showed a great deal of promise and will have been sold for a convincing fee, with clauses likely inserted given the player’s impressive ceiling.