National League side Sutton United confirmed on Monday the signing of Ipswich Town youngster Finley Barbrook.
The youngster joins the South London club on a loan deal until the end of the 2024-25 season and will look to gain further experience of men’s football to boost his prospects of breaking into future Ipswich squads.
Who is Finley Barbrook?
Barbrook started off at Ipswich at the age of six. The 19 year old progressed through various youth levels at the East Anglian club before signing his first professional contract in March 2023.
Barbrook was captain of the Ipswich under 21 side last season and his impressive performances saw him sent on loan to Chelmsford City in the National League South in the autumn.
The midfielder made 30 appearances for the Essex side, helping them to finish runners up behind Yeovil Town. His performances across the season for both Ipswich’s youth and Chelmsford saw him win academy player of the year for the Tractor Boys.
What does Barbrook bring to Sutton?
The 19 year old is highly thought of by Kieran McKenna and Ipswich having been a part of the first team’s pre-season tour of Austria and friendly against Shakhtar Donetsk. Last year, when talking about Barbrook alongside another Ipswich youngster, McKenna has positive things to say:
“they’re very early in their development, both very young, but two good prospects with the right attitude that we want to see keep developing.”
It is Sutton that will reap the benefits this season of that development. Barbrook brings versatility and adaptability with him to South London. Barbrook played in both central defence and as a holding midfielder during his time at Chelmsford.
The midfielder is athletic and predominantly provides a screening role in front of a defence. Barbrook likes to link up play between defence and midfield and was a driving force from midfield with his close control of the ball for Chelmsford last season.
The 19 year old is Sutton’s 17th signing of the window and likely to provide depth to their midfield. With the likes of Lewis Simper, Siju Odelusi, Jack Wadham and Jayden Harris providing competition for places, the U’s are not short of options in the middle of the park.
The manager, Steve Morison was delighted to get the deal over the line:
He’s been a player we’ve been after all summer; as soon as the season finished last year he’s been on our radar and we’ve been talking to the guys at Ipswich for a while now and now I can’t wait to see him in action.”
“Off the back of The Athletic naming him Ipswich’s academy player to watch this season it’s a great coup for us. He’s a well-rounded midfielder who has lots of quality and athleticism.”
Barbrook is another young addition to Sutton’s squad and the teenager will be hoping he can add a promotion to his CV during his time in South London.