The majority of Ipswich supporters appear to be in favour of activating a clause in Tyreeq Bakinson's loan deal and signing the midfielder on a permanent basis.
The Bristol City youngster has won over the majority of supporters from the League One outfit after finding form and consistency towards the tail end of the season including winning the club's Goal of the Month in April.
Bakinson, 23, returns to BS3 with his immediate future in limbo. It's clear he has no pathway back into the City squad following manager Nigel Pearson's damning admission before the end of the season.
He also returns to the club with just one year left on his contract meaning City will look to sell him this summer to avoid losing him for nothing in 12-month's time. Bristol Live understands Ipswich are considering his return but have other transfer targets in that position and therefore there is no guarantee he will return to Portman Road.
The midfielder made 14 starts for the Tractor Boys and three substitute appearances scoring two goals including in the 4-0 victory over Charlton on the final day of the season. Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna spoke last month and was asked about the prospect of signing Bakinson permanently in which he said he would hold talks with the player before communicating his fate publically.
He told the East Anglian Times : "It’s a conversation for after Charlton and one which needs to be had with the player first of all.
“Tyreeq has enjoyed his experience here and has developed during his time, improving almost game by game to get himself up to a good level. But he and I need to discuss his future on a personal level first and then between others before it’s communicated publicly.”
Whether Ipswich should retain Bakinson has conjured up quite a debate on social media. Plenty argues his improvements towards the end of the season should be enough to convince McKenna to take a punt on his potential and the positive comments outnumber those who would be happy for their manager to pursue other options.
What is clear is that Pearson sees no future for Bakinson to make amends following his abrupt January exit. It was 55 days after he was granted a contract extension that the manager shipped him out of the club, blasting his attitude in the process.
He said: "As far as I'm concerned, and I've said it before, if players don't want to be here they can go.
"He's a player who unfortunately just wants to play on his own terms. It's not something I particularly want so he can go.
"I'm not wasting energy on negativity, I don't invest time on that, I'm not just saying it. If you ask people who work with me they'll say exactly the same thing, I don't waste energy on negativity, it drives me mad.
"The fact that I am prepared to say, 'yeah, let the deal go ahead' because actually, people around the place who sap the energy out of other people is not as valuable as having people here who want to be playing."
More recently, Pearson was again asked whether his loan at Ipswich had convinced him that he has changed his opinion. He responded: "No, not really."
"I was pleased that he went out and I've said what I've said about him so I won't say anything else publicly about him as far as I'm concerned." So that settles that then.
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