Ipswich Town majority shareholder Brett Johnson has confirmed that the club’s owners are prepared to make up to £50 million available for manager Kieran McKenna to strengthen the squad during the January transfer window and beyond.
Speaking to *The Athletic* ahead of this weekend’s East Anglian derby against Norwich City, the American investor and chairman of Three Lions Holdings, which owns 85% of the club, revealed the scale of financial support that will be given to McKenna as Ipswich continue their first season back in the Premier League.
“We’ve committed to Kieran that there will be significant funds available in January, and we’re talking in the region of £50 million,” Johnson said. “That’s not just a one-off; it’s part of a sustained investment plan to keep us competitive in the Premier League. Kieran knows the areas he wants to strengthen, and we’ll back him fully.”
The announcement comes at a crucial point for the newly promoted side, who currently sit 16th in the table with 12 points from their opening 11 matches. While McKenna’s team have shown they can compete with the division’s established sides, defeats against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal have highlighted the need for greater squad depth and quality.
Sources close to the club indicate that priority targets include a new centre-forward, a versatile central midfielder, and additional defensive options. Ipswich have already been linked with moves for Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi, Hull City’s Jacob Greaves, and Leicester City’s out-of-favour winger Stephy Mavididi.
Johnson added: “Two consecutive promotions have been incredible, but staying in the Premier League is the real challenge. We’re not here to make up the numbers. The ownership group is fully aligned on giving Kieran everything he needs to build a team that can establish itself at this level.”
The £50 million commitment represents a significant statement of intent from the American consortium that completed its takeover in 2024, and is believed to be one of the largest single-window backing packages ever made available to a newly promoted Premier League club.