Ipswich Town goalkeeper Christian Walton is facing an uncertain future at the club.
Ipswich Town has had a fantastic season in the Championship.The Tractor Boys were promoted from League One last season and have made a smooth transition to the second division, spending much of the season in and around the automatic promotion spots.
Ipswich’s top two aspirations were dealt a major setback when they were beaten 2-1 at Cardiff City on Saturday, with injury-time goals from Ryan Wintle and Callum O’Dowda securing all three points for the Bluebirds after Kieffer Moore put the visitors ahead in the 79th minute.
Kieran McKenna’s side is presently third in the table, but they are only one point behind second-placed Leeds United heading into Saturday’s encounter against relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road.
| Championship Table (As it stands March 11th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City | 37 | 41 | 82 |
| 2 | Leeds United | 37 | 40 | 79 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 37 | 25 | 78 |
| 4 | Southampton | 36 | 26 | 73 |
| 5 | West Brom | 37 | 21 | 63 |
| 6 | Norwich City | 37 | 12 | 58 |
| 7 | Hull City | 37 | 7 | 58 |
| 8 | Coventry City | 37 | 16 | 57 |
McKenna has mostly kept the same set of players that helped the club win promotion from League One last season, with one noteworthy alteration this season: Vaclav Hladky has replaced Christian Walton in goal.
Both Walton and Hladky are out of contract at the end of the season, but a significant update on Hladky’s future may imply that Walton’s time in Suffolk is coming to an end.
Vaclav Hladky news will be concerning for Christian Walton
Walton joined Ipswich Town on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2021, and after establishing himself as the club’s number one, the loan was made permanent in January 2022.
The 28-year-old starred for the Tractor Boys when they achieved promotion last season, keeping 24 clean sheets in 47 appearances in all competitions. His performances were not ignored, with journalist Alan Nixon stating that Premier League side Luton Town were planning a move in the summer.
However, Walton missed the start of the season due to a foot injury, and after returning to fitness in October, he has been unable to reclaim his spot from Hladky.
Hladky has maintained 11 clean sheets in 38 appearances across all competitions this season, and while he has made the occasional mistake, he has also made a number of outstanding saves to help his team collect points.
The 33-year-old has made it impossible for McKenna to dismiss him, and it appears like the Tractor Boys are eager to keep him, with Hladky stating that talks with the club have begun about a new deal.
“There’s not much I can say. Negotiations are ongoing, but progress has yet to be made, according to Hladky’s statement to TWTD last week.
“I’m in my ‘tunnel’, and all I want to do is concentrate on Cardiff tomorrow, as is natural for a footballer.
“The stuff around me, I have people to deal with.”
Hladky’s representative stated in December that he may receive offers from other clubs in the summer, despite his refusal to commit to a contract extension at Portman Road.
Danny Rohl could be the ideal alternative for McKenna if he left Portman Road.
If Hladky leaves, Walton may be able to reclaim his place in the team, but the fact that Ipswich is attempting to tie Hladky down implies that McKenna sees him as first choice in the future, throwing considerable doubt on Walton’s prospects.
It remains to be seen whether the Tractor Boys will offer Walton a new contract, but he will undoubtedly want to play regular football, and a custodian of his calibre should find plenty of suitors in the summer.
Walton would be a more than capable alternative for clubs in the Championship and League One, and if McKenna cannot offer him consistent playing time next season, his departure appears imminent.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply