Cambridge United are showing a strong interest in Ipswich Town youngster Jack Lankester, we understand.
The 21-year-old was one of a large number of Ipswich players told they can move on this summer by manager Paul Cook and could potentially move to the Abbey Stadium.
It’s understood a number of clubs up and down the EFL have shown interest in the creative midfielder this summer, with a permanent departure likely.
Joining Cambridge on a full-time basis would see Lankester remain at League One level, following the U’s automatic promotion to the third tier at the end of last season.
A move to Cambridge would also give Lankester the chance to play with and learn from experienced attacking midfielder Wes Hoolahan, who signed a new deal at the club, while he could also line up behind prolific striker Paul Mullin, who scored 34 goals last season.
Lankester has made a total of 30 Ipswich appearances, since his debut against QPR under Paul Hurst, scoring three goals. He would have made plenty more were it not for a stress fracture in his back which kept him out for 18 months.
The most notable of his goals was the dramatic 97th-minute winner against Shrewsbury last season, while he also netted an excellent goal in the first game of 2019 against Millwall.
He netted Ipswich’s equaliser at Sunderland last season with a superb finish, while his introduction from the bench helped Ipswich secure a late victory at Bristol Rovers early in the campaign.
A knee injury kept him out of the closing stages of the campaign before, along with a large number of other players, he was told he is able to leave this summer.
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