A major  transfer update has emerged, one regarding reported Ipswich Town target Martyn Waghorn.

What's the talk?

According to The Athletic, Derby County are struggling to pin striker Martyn Waghorn down to a new contract at the club. The report claims that Derby have made no progress in their efforts to keep Waghorn at the club, with his deal due to expire at the end of the month - making him a free agent at the start of July.

Football League World reported last month that Ipswich are considering a swoop for Waghorn to bring him to Portman Road for a second spell. The report claimed that Ipswich will weigh up whether or not to make a move for Waghorn if he becomes a free agent this summer.

Speaking about Waghorn in 2019, former Derby boss Frank Lampard lavished praise on the incredible forward. Lampard highlighted his ability on and off the ball, along with his quality on and off the pitch. He told the Derby Telegraph:

"I get asked (about him) regularly when he hasn't been playing at times this season. We have competition in forward and wide areas.

"But at the moment, he is in fantastic form. He's giving everything to the team, on and off the ball, and quality with it.

"He got his goal at Southampton and has shown an incredible work rate - and he's incredible around the place day in, day out, in how he is in the group.

"I'm delighted with him, and we need to have that and more from everybody."

Cook needs him

Paul Cook needs Waghorn next season and CEO Mark Ashton must ensure that he can seal a deal for the attacker in the coming weeks. This latest update from the Derby side appears to suggest that Waghorn is due to become a free agent, as he has not made any clear indications that he will be staying in the Midlands, which could be a major boost for Ipswich.

It could now allow the Tractor Boys to snap him up on a free transfer, avoiding the need to lavish out on a transfer fee for the attacker.

The £7.9k-per-week beast enjoyed a sensational season in his one year at Ipswich earlier in his career. During the 2017/18 Championship campaign, Waghorn scored 16 and assisted 13 goals in 44 appearances for the Blues to help them finish in midtable. He then moved on to Derby, where he has scored 30 and assisted 13 in 112 competitive games for the Rams. This proves that he is a quality attacker at Championship level, as he has scored goals at a respectable rate whilst also being a provider for his teammates.

Therefore, Ipswich manager Cook would love him in Suffolk next season. Waghorn should be able to flourish at League One level as it is a step down in the pyramid from the Championship, where he has already shown that he can score goals.

He could be the goalscorer Cook is currently lacking in his squad and Ipswich must seal a deal for the 31-year-old this summer.

Ipswich's top scorer last season was James Norwood with nine goals, highlighting the lack of threat at the top end of the pitch in Cook's squad.

If Waghorn is going to be available, as is looking likely, Ipswich must do all they can to sign him this summer.

AND in other news, ITFC dealt major transfer blow with “brilliant” £6.4k-p/w ace, Cook will be livid...