Ipswich Town have signed Sammie Szmodics from Blackburn Rovers for an initial fee of £9million ($11.6m) plus add-ons. The 28-year-old has signed a four-year deal
Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate this summer’s senior Premier League transfers in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100, to reach a total score out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here (not all transfers will be rated as there may be a lack of data to support an analysis).
Below is our rating for this move.
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Tactical fit — 75/100
A look at how the player fits into his new club tactically, using Sentient Sports’ bespoke tactical-fit model, explained by our tactical expert.
Szmodics primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and occasionally as a second striker. He averages 0.6 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, placing him in the 97th percentile amongst positional peers (the top three per cent) and takes 3.3 shots per game, which ranks in the 94th percentile.
One of his main strengths is his finishing. He is excellent at placing the ball into the far right corner and does this by opening his body which helps guide his shot. As shown in the shot maps below, a large portion of Szmodics’ goals came from finishes in the bottom right corner.
He also excels at retaining possession under pressure, and is composed even when closely marked. His positioning allows him to exploit spaces in the defence, making runs at the last minute into the box. When he plays as a second striker, he links play well and is able to drop deep to bounce passes. Also, Szmodics can be very dangerous in transition, due to his quickness and intelligence when making runs which split defences.
In Blackburn’s game against Derby this month, Yuki Ohashi passes the ball wide to Callum Brittain. Szmodics notices Derby’s Ebou Adams in front of him and smartly moves away into open space to make it easier to take a shot. Brittain then plays a pass into that vacant area, allowing Szmodics to finish first time and score.
Szmodics’ skill set could suit McKenna’s tactical system at Ipswich. His ability to exploit spaces and find pockets in the opposition’s defence fits with the movement of the left winger and the No 10 role, particularly as the attacking structures shift between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-2-1.
He could also combine with Omari Hutchinson and Wes Burn to create numerical advantages centrally. From this, they can pass the ball to the striker, who can find Szmodics in the pocket or can play a one-touch pass out. He could then drift into channels.
Szmodics does have some limitations. He does not frequently take on defenders in one-on-one situations, which reduces his effectiveness as a ball-carrier.
His passing can sometimes lack accuracy, which may disrupt attacking sequences under McKenna. This can be an area of concern in the Premier League, where the pace of the game is much higher, and opposition players are quicker to capitalise on mistakes.
Gillian Kasirye
Season rating: 79/100
Rating the player over the course of last season, using statistics from The Athletic’s data team.
Szmodics had a great season in the Championship with Blackburn, marking his second year with the club after joining from Peterborough in August 2022.
He scored 27 goals in 44 league appearances and was influential in helping his team avoid relegation (finishing 19th). He was selected in the EFL Championship Team of the Season, as was named as Blackburn supporters’ and Players’ Player of the Year.
He was also rewarded with his debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 2024 against Belgium. Overall, it was a memorable season for Szmodics, whose progression to the Premier League always seemed likely.
Gillian Kasirye
Gaming rating: 66/100
Rating the player according to Football Manager 2024’s data across both current and potential ability.
Despite this being Szmodics’ first season in the Premier League, data from Football Manager’s extensive scouting network suggests he could prove to be a useful option from attacking midfield for Ipswich.
He has a current ability rating of 130 out of 200 on FM24, placing him around the same level as Brentford attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho (132) and Southampton forward Ben Brereton Diaz (135). Among his new team-mates, Szmodics is ahead of youngsters Liam Delap (124) and Omari Hutchinson (120), as well as 25-year-old forward George Hirst (129).
Szmodics’ ceiling is expected to improve with more minutes in the Premier League, but his age — he turns 29 next month — means it is unlikely to be substantial, with FM giving him a potential ability rating of 136. While this is higher than Hirst’s 135, it could prove to be much lower than that of Delap and Hutchinson, who are expected to get to anywhere between 130 and 160.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Financial value rating: 66/100
A four-category summary of the player’s transfer in financial terms — and whether it makes sense for his new club
Market value — 19/25
Given Szmodics’ excellent season in 2023-24 at Blackburn and his impressive 25-minute cameo in their opening-weekend 4-2 win over Derby County, where he scored a goal and added an assist from the bench, the £9million fee appears excellent business.
In recent years, the Championship has developed into one of the best proving grounds for emerging talent in Europe, and while Szmodics is 28 and in his prime years, his success in England’s second tier last season is a good indicator that he can manage the step up to the Premier League.
Squad cost — 18/25
Szmodics is one of nine players to join Ipswich this season, and they have spent handsomely on transfer fees and wages in the process. The £9m fee will have taken a noticeable chunk out of their budget, but they required another attacking player capable of challenging Conor Chaplin in support of strikers Liam Delap and George Hirst.
Given Szmodics’ Championship pedigree and squad suitability, Ipswich will not be content with the financial outlay.
Contract sensibility — 19/25
A four-year deal makes sense for Ipswich in the circumstances, allowing Szmodics time to prove himself at the top level while not allowing the contract to extend into his later playing years. Szmodics will be 32 when the contract expires, so Ipswich are inheriting him for his prime years.
And if Ipswich suffer relegation this season, he has the quality to help them get back up in the following years.
Resale value — 10/25
Ipswich are signing Szmodics to spend his prime at Portman Road and, should he deliver, he will likely spend the remainder of his best years as an Ipswich player. Given his age and lack of experience in the Premier League, top clubs might be tempted away from signing Szmodics even if he has a strong first season in England’s top flight, making it more likely than not that Ipswich will not profit from this purchase further down the line.
However, if he fails to make the adjustment and Ipswich remain in the Premier League, they may opt to sell him at a cut price back down to the second tier in the future.
Elias Burke
Risk or reward? 67/100
Is there a history of injury or other problems that could crop up and make this deal a bad one in retrospect? Or does the player come with a clean bill of health? Our expert takes a look.
There are no assurances Szmodics will adjust to Premier League football, but Ipswich fans are justifiably happy with this signing.
Szmodics tore up the Championship last season and was the primary reason why Blackburn Rovers did not suffer relegation to League One, with his goals keeping the Lancashire club afloat. He provides crucial squad depth in the attacking-midfield position, putting pressure on Chaplin to replicate his second-tier performances in the Premier League. He also adds quality in front of goal, which will be crucial if Ipswich are to avoid relegation.
However, given his age and his relative struggles in the Championship before last season, there is some risk involved for Ipswich. Szmodics emerged into the picture for casual EFL observers with a bang last season, having struggled to adjust to the step up from League One to the Championship after leaving Peterborough United. Now, he’s tasked with stepping up to the Premier League — the best domestic league in the world, and a whole different challenge.
On this occasion, though, he is approaching the task with the confidence of a player who scored 33 goals in all competitions last year. And, given Szmodics has had a stellar injury record since missing half a season of action in the 2015-16 season due to a foot injury, he’ll give himself every chance to prove his quality on the pitch.
Elias Burke
Overall rating: 353/500
(Photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
