Rekeem Harper looks set to move to League One Ipswich Town from boyhood club West Bromwich Albion. Speaking to The High Press podcast last month the 21-year-old expressed his desire to prove himself with the Baggies – after a mixed time at St Andrew’s.
Rakeem Harper said: “My intentions from the off have been to go back to West Brom and give myself a fighting chance to get in the team and help the team. That is my goal – to go back to West Brom and nail down a position in the team. Depending on the formation, there could be two midfield spots up for grabs or three.But I want one of those shirts. And I have to do everything I can to get one.”
However, that doesn’t look like it will happen and he is close to a £500,000 deal, which could rise to £1million. Harper finished the season on loan at Birmingham City where he experienced mixed fortunes under Aitor Karanka and Lee Bowyer. He is set to leave The Hawthorns having made 40 appearances for the club and having come through the academy set-up.
Ainsley Maitland Niles said: “I’ve got two years left on my contract, so I’m due to be going back there. Obviously, once I do go back, I need to speak to the manager and see where he sees me, see what ideas he has, and we can move on from there. But I hope I can get some clarity for me, as in the player that he sees me, the role he sees me in, and we can take it from there. The main thing that’s needed is clarity. You need clarity for both parties, or however many parties are involved, you just need clarity. Once that stuff is worked out, everything else will follow from there. I like to think that I’ve done enough in the Premier League in the last half of the season to have other clubs interested in me. If I was to get a phone call, if it was someone from Arsenal and they said they’d like a meeting tomorrow, am I in the country, then it would be easier that way. They can tell me whether they’ve got plans to play me in the future or if they want to sell me. I’ve heard they want to make some space and some money, so I’m not sure. My main priority is to go back, see what the manager has to say and take it from there. That’s always the first step and there’s many other steps after that so who knows?”
