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Garbutt: There Will Be Discussions With Everton and Ipswich, We’ll Just Have to Wait and See
Monday, 13th Jan 2020 16:59

Town loanee Luke Garbutt is unable to update his position on a possible permanent move to Portman Road from parent club Everton, where his contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

It is no secret that both Garbutt and Town are interested in a deal, or that the clubs have had preliminary discussions, but for the time being the player is remaining tight-lipped about his future.

Garbutt, 26, said: “Everton have just been saying ‘Keep doing what you are doing, you’re progressing nicely, you’re doing really well down there and it seems you’re enjoying it.’ I’ve not had a great deal of contact recently but over the course of the season I’ve had a few phone calls.”

Asked if his position might be resolved before the transfer window closes at the end of January, he added: “I’m just concentrating on my football at the minute. It’s down to my representatives to discuss whatever happens in the summer and for the time being I just want to concentrate on Ipswich Town and playing the best I can to try to get this club promoted into the Championship.

“It’s definitely something we would look at but right now for me personally I just want to concentrate on making sure that Ipswich Town are in the right position come the summer, which will hopefully see them returning to the Championship.

“I’m enjoying my football. The fans have been great with me and everything seems really, really good. My contract expires in the summer and there will be discussions with Everton and Ipswich, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

“I can’t really comment on speculation involving other clubs. I just have to take care of what I can take care of and that is playing for Ipswich Town and playing to the best of my ability in trying to get them promoted.”

Clearly, there is no rush from Garbutt’s perspective. He is enjoying his time at Portman Road and would clearly prefer a move to the Championship than to switch permanently to League One, something he can help to bring about should he help Town to win promotion this season.


Garbutt has scored six goals already this season and has never achieved a bigger tally throughout his career, which has also taken in loan spells with Cheltenham, Colchester, Fulham and Wigan, as well as tomorrow’s opponents, Oxford, where he spent the entire 2018/19 season.

Town head for the Kassam Stadium in search of their first away success since winning 1-0 at Rochdale in early November and Garbutt admitted his target is to reach an end-of-season haul of 10 goals.

He said: “As things stand I think I will be disappointed if I don’t get to double figures, but I’m just taking it one game at a time and trying to do my best for the team in whatever way I can, like chipping in with some more goals and a few more assists.

“At the end of the season we just want to get promoted and hopefully by winning the league — that’s the main objective for everyone.”

Garbutt, like all his colleagues, has been buoyed by an upturn in fortune for Town after a depressing winless of 12 games in all competitions leading into Saturday’s very welcome 4-1 victory over an Accrington Stanley side who came to Portman Road having only been beaten once in their previous nine outings in all competitions.

Boss Lambert devised a new way of playing that resembled the tactics serving Sheffield United well in the Premier League this season and Garbutt was quick to point out that the manager is always open to players having a say on how the team should play.

He added: “The manager always listen to other opinions. He comes up with the structure of the team and instructs us on how he wants us to play, but he is open to the lads chipping in with their own views and how they feel about it.

“It’s never a case of him just telling us what to do and we just have to abide by it all the time. He’ll ask questions about how comfortable we are with doing what he is asking of us and we’re open with our answers. It’s all pretty comfortable really.”

Garbutt also turned his attention to the futures of young Town duo Luke Woolfenden and Flynn Downes, both of the academy graduates having recently been linked with moves elsewhere, not necessarily in the current transfer window but at some future stage.

He said: “They are young players and they are learning all the time. They have been terrific, to be fair, but there is no way you can stop transfer speculation because it’s part of the game.

“They just have to concentrate and do what they want to do. They will want to play at the highest level they can, which is understandable.

“They are brilliant to play alongside and they are good lads, both down to earth, humble guys who are happy playing for Ipswich Town and making sure we do well. We are all pulling in the same direction and that’s the only way we can breed success.

“As long as they are 100 per cent committed to the club, speculation will just be speculation. Until they sign on the dotted line for another club they will be Ipswich Town players and they will give their all for the shirt.”

Finally, Garbutt admitted he is on the wrong end of some dressing room banter from Liverpool-born colleague Jon Nolan, who makes no secret of his allegiance to the red team on Merseyside as they edge ever closer to their first English title in 30 years.

He laughed: “I think it has been coming for the last couple of years but as an Everton player, and having been at the club for a long time, it is what it is.

“Liverpool are a big football club and there’s no doubt they are going in the right direction. Everton have just got to focus on making sure that they have some stability and structure moving forward, plus ensuring they win enough games and go in the right direction in the league.

“Jon’s really enjoying it, obviously. In fact, he’s really loving it. He keeps reminding me how happy he is with the way Liverpool are playing but it’s just a bit of banter between us.”


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BLUEBEAT added 09:01 - Jan 14
There isn't any need for Ipswich and Everton to discuss things. Garbutt is a free agent at end season which puts him in a strong position. May not get wages as high as Everton's but he will get the signing on fee. Very much doubt he will be at Ipswich next season, sadly.
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ITFCsince73 added 10:53 - Jan 14
Cakeman . Hes earned over 5m since signing last Everton contract. He was set up for life 5 years ago.
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bugledog123 added 12:31 - Jan 14
Everton are paying most if not all of his salary currently
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