Ipswich Town transfer rumour: Blues reportedly eye up Fenerbahce's Dutch defender

Ipswich Town are interested in Fenerbahce defender Jayden Oosterwolde, according to Turkish outlet Sports Digitale.

West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for the Dutchman in recent weeks, while Napoli, Nottingham Forest and Brentford are also reportedly interested in acquiring his services.

AFC Bournemouth have been mentioned as an interested party, but the Bournemouth Echo claims that the Cherries are not tracking him.

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Oosterwolde started his career at Eredivisie outfit FC Twente, making 41 senior appearances for them between 2020 and 2022. That earned him a move to Serie B side Parma after an initial loan spell in 2021/22, but he was unable them seal promotion to the Italian top flight before leaving for Fenerbahce for a reported €6 million fee in January 2023.

He was in and out of their team last season as they amassed 99 points but ultimately fell short of the league title, starting 20 of their 38 games and making seven cameo appearances.

Although the 23-year-old is a natural left-sided centre-back - standing at 6'2" - he can also play at left-back. Town have also been linked with his team-mate Dominik Livakovic earlier this week.

MORE: How we'll be covering the transfer window this summer

Alex's verdict

The left-sided centre-back position is clearly one that Town will be looking at this summer, offering some competition for Cameron Burgess. That's only been strengthened by rumours that they're keen on signing Hull City's Jacob Greaves, which was reported by the Telegraph.

Oosterwolde's manager, Jose Mourinho, worked with Kieran McKenna at Manchester United (Image: PA)

Once again, he ticks the boxes. He's tall, comfortable with the ball at his feet and a strong tackler. Not only does that suit the Premier League, but also a Kieran McKenna team. He's surprisingly fast and, as mentioned, capable of playing at left-back, meaning that he could cover Leif Davis too.

His form saw him mentioned by Dutch fans as a candidate for the Netherlands national team, although he's yet to earn a cap at any level for his country. Fenerbahce supporters have also been impressed, and new boss Jose Mourinho will probably be keen to have a look at him in pre-season.

If he is to move, Mourinho's links with McKenna could put Ipswich top of the pile. A switch to Suffolk would probably be his best chance of regular game time, too.

As always, reports from abroad can be much harder to verify, and it's important to be wary when numerous clubs are linked with a certain player. That being said, it could indicate that he's on the market, and if the Blues are interested, he sounds like he'd be a good addition.