Ipswich Town must beat Premier League and ‘top Championship’ clubs to sign prolific 14-goal striker

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Ipswich Town have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Wycombe Wanderers forward Richard Kone, but another target could now be on their radar.

Ipswich Town have enjoyed an impressive summer transfer window ahead of the 2025/26 Championship campaign, which has primed them for an automatic promotion push.

Head coach Kieran McKenna has added some serious quality to his starting XI, after Ipswich signed Azor Matusiwa from Stade Rennais, which came before Ashley Young’s move to Ipswich at the expense of Watford.

With Cedric Kipre and David Button also through the door, McKenna remains on the hunt for more signings as Ipswich have agreed a deal for Hayden Hackney with Middlesbrough.

Now, after a blow for a long-standing striker target, the Tractor Boys must beat Premier League and Championship competition to sign a 14-goal forward prospect.

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Ipswich Town must target Sambou Soumano after Richard Kone setback

Ipswich were one of ten clubs tracking Richard Kone this summer after his outstanding season in front of goal for Wycombe Wanderers, in which the Ivorian scored 18 goals and registered three assists in 41 League One outings.

Last month, Wycombe plotted a club-record offer to keep Kone, but with no movement on the deal, it seems inevitable that the forward will move on to Championship level this summer.

This week, EFL Analysis exclusively revealed that Swansea City are leading the race for Kone.

Our Chief football correspondent, Graeme Bailey, informed that Swansea have made a £4.5m offer to Wycombe, which is just £500,000 shy of the Chairboys’ £5m valuation of Kone.

Ipswich sold Liam Delap to Chelsea this summer for £30m, and after losing their star striker, McKenna needs a goalscorer as a replacement.

With Swansea leading the race for Kone, and Ipswich missing out on Marc Guiu after his Sunderland loan move, the Tractor Boys must turn their attention to FC Lorient striker Sambou Soumano.

Senegalese starlet Soumano scored 14 goals and notched three assists in only 11 starts for FC Lorient last season in the French second tier, with his form courting attention across the channel from the Championship and Premier League.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke said on X: “A host of Premier League and top Championship clubs are set to watch Lorient’s Senegalese striker Sambou Soumano in their pre-season clash at Swansea on Saturday (today, 3 pm kick-off).

“The 24-year-old scored 14 goals in just 11 starts last season to alert a number of English clubs.”

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Why Sambou Soumano is better value for Ipswich Town than Richard Kone

Soumano has proven himself as a very capable operator in the French second division after his prolific season for Lorient.

With Wycombe holding out for £5m for Kone, there is exceptional value in targeting Soumano instead, given that his current Lorient contract expires next summer.

As O’Rourke indicated, with several Premier League and Championship sides set to watch the 24-year-old this afternoon at Swansea, it seems inevitable that the 14-goal forward will move on this summer after playing a pivotal role in their Ligue 2 title win this season.

With Transfermarkt indicating that Soumano’s market value is in the region of £2.2m, Ipswich would be signing a striker who was only four strikes shy of Kone’s tally last season, despite starting 21 fewer games.

Ipswich’s dream summer transfer window would have included the signing of Kone, but with Swansea storming ahead in the race, Soumano would be a suitable second option.