5 days ago
Three Premier League clubs monitoring Dara O'Shea as Ipswich Town chairman acknowledges relegation reality
DARA O'SHEA is in line for a quick return to the Premier League - but Ipswich Town have insisted they are not under pressure to sell.
O'Shea was acknowledged as having an impressive first season at Portman Road, despite the club making an immediate return to the Championship.
2
He and Nathan Collins are established as Ireland's first-choice paring in central defence
2
The pacy 26-year-old has proven he's good enough for the Premier League
Credit: Reuters
That was reflected in him being named as the club's Player of the Year, ahead of Ireland-eligible,
SunSport understands that his former club Burnley, Wolves and Leeds United are all weighing up a move for O'Shea, who is set to start for Ireland against Senegal tomorrow.
Ipswich beat off competition from Wolves and Brentford to sign the Dubliner from the Clarets last summer.
The Bees signed Dutch defender Sepp Van der Berg but it is believed Wolves are ready to renew their interest, along with newly-promoted duo Burnley and Leeds.
Read More On Irish Football
Ipswich paid an initial £12m for the ex-St Kevin's Boys player last August with not all of the £3m add-ons realised because of their failure to dodge the drop.
The Tractor Boys will rake in £30m - the relegation clause in his contract - from the sale of Delap.
The 26-year-old is one of their most valuable assets with Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson suggesting he would not be short of offers in the close-season.
But Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton insisted there will not be an exodus from the club.
Most read in Football
Ashton said: 'We're not into fire sales. We haven't got to sell a multitude of players, but one or two players will be traded out to give ourselves that headroom and the ability to move forward.
'I think it's important fans understand that one of the challenges you've got when you come down is you've got to retain, because we're going to have suitors for players.
Watch Robbie Brady aim hilarious dig at Ireland teammates after winning Player of the Year award
'So as much as you've got to recruit you've got to retain, you've got to work hard to make sure you've got those players locked down.'
Meanwhile, Robbie Brady
Brady beat off competition from Caoimhín Kelleher and Nathan Collins to collect the award which he previously won in 2016.
In a video posted by the FAI from the team meeting room, Brady said: 'I didn't expect to win it. It shows how s***e youse have all been if I'm winning this!'
'I was obviously out of camp for a while and I was delighted to get myself back in.
"I'm buzzing with this so thanks for everything and helping me pick this up.'
Brady, 33, won just three caps between March 2021 and March 2024 but has started 10 out of Ireland's last 12 games, missing two with an ankle injury.
He chipped in with a goal and an assist in the 2-1 win in Finland last October, Hallgrímsson's first victory as manager.
