Kieran McKenna’s side were still in League One two years ago, so there was a belief among some fans and pundits that they would understandably struggle in the Premier League.

However, of their 11 games, they’ve won one, drawn five and looked totally at home in the top flight. That said, while most of the Tractor Boys’ squad has seriously upped their level this year, summer signing Kalvin Phillips has been notably poor.

Fortunately, the Suffolk side were linked with a player who could be the perfect replacement earlier this month.

Kalvin Phillips lacklustre form

In a bid to get more Premier League experience into the first team ahead of their first campaign back in the top flight in over two decades, Ipswich opted to sign Phillips on a season-long loan from Manchester City in mid-August.

McKenna was clearly pleased with the deal as he described the 28-year-old as a “fantastic signing” and “a high-calibre, experienced midfielder who has played at the highest levels of the game.”

Unfortunately, the player he was describing was not the one he got.

Instead, the former Leeds United captain seemingly carried his poor form from last season into this year, as he’s looked significantly off the pace in the eight appearances he’s made so far and against Leicester City, he got himself sent off, which ultimately turned the tide of the game and what should have been a win into a draw.

Things were so bad last month that a report from Football Insider claimed that the Tractor Boys were considering terminating the midfielder’s contract, as they were “amazed” at just how far off the pace he was, as typified by his ‘lack of mobility and running power.’

In all, it would be hard to describe Phillips’ loan as anything other than a failure at the moment, and with survival still a genuine possibility, Ipswich should look to replace him with another experienced midfielder they were linked with earlier this month.

The ideal Phillips upgrade

The perfect player to come in and replace Phillips at the heart of Ipswich’s midfield would be someone with at least as much experience of top-flight football as the Englishman, and the good news is they were linked with just the player earlier this month, Wataru Endo.

According to a report from Caught Offside, the Tractor Boys were one of several sides keen to land the Japanese international, and he’d be available for just £15m as new boss Arne Slot favours other midfielders in his squad.

Now, falling out of favour at a club like Liverpool is certainly not a reason other teams in the league should refrain from signing a player, especially when that player is as experienced as the 31-year-old star is.

For example, across his career, the Yokohama-born machine has made 69 appearances in the J League, 99 in the Bundesliga, 34 in the Premier League, 20 in the Belgian top-flight, and plenty more in other competitions.

Moreover, he’s the captain of Japan and has won 66 senior caps so far, showing that not only is he vastly experienced, but he’s also a natural leader and someone who won’t buckle under the pressure of a relegation battle.

Finally, while he’s clearly not a part of the Reds’ long-term plans, he was an essential member of Jürgen Klopp’s team last season, making 29 league appearances in their impressive title push and being described as “unbelievable” by former Liverpool star Peter Crouch for his performance at home to Manchester City in particular.

Ultimately, Phillips has continued his poor form from last season into this one, and with survival on the line, Ipswich must replace him with someone more reliable and more experienced, and if those are the criteria, they’d be hard-pressed to find a better replacement than Endo.