Burns, Clarke, Hirst: Ipswich Town latest injury news and return dates ahead of Brighton clash

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Ipswich Town will be looking for another positive result when they return to Premier League action.

After two tough opening games against Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and Manchester City, Ipswich Town bounced straight back to secure their first point of the season. Before heading into the international break, the Tractor Boys earned a 1-1 draw against Fulham at Portman Road to open their 2024/25 account.

Kieran McKenna’s side will face Brighton and Hove Albion on the road once the Premier League action returns, so while we wait for their next challenge, we’ve taken a look at Ipswich Town’s latest injury and fitness updates.

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Wes Burns

Since coming off against Liverpool, Wes Burns has not featured for Ipswich after picking up a hamstring injury. McKenna recently confirmed the problem ahead of their clash with Manchester City.

“Wes went off with his hamstring last week. We've scanned that, and that's going to be a number of weeks. He's going to be missing from this game and the next couple of league fixtures as well.”

Based on McKenna’s comments, Burns could be fit to return to the squad soon but a firm date has not yet been provided.

Harry Clarke

Back in May, ahead of Ipswich Town’s arrival in the Premier League, Harry Clarke posted on social media that he had undergone surgery on his Achilles. The right-back is yet to feature this season as he continues his recovery and McKenna has admitted that he is still a while off returning to full training.

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“He's not imminent, to be honest. He's had a frustrating time with the recovery,” he said during a pre-season conference. “He's continuing to work and get advice. He's progressing in the gym, but he's not on the grass yet. Realistically, it's going to be quite a few weeks before we see him training with the team.”

George Hirst

George Hirst is another player who is ruled out of action after going under the knife. The forward had to have knee surgery after picking up a problem during a friendly against Fortuna Dusseldorf in July. The manager confirmed it was keyhole surgery, so not as bad as it could have been, but it’s still a blow for the team.

“There's a possibility of recovery of around eight weeks from the surgery,” McKenna said last month. “Of course it's not great news, of course it's a big loss. On the other hand it could have been more serious. It is what it is and he's started his recovery now.”

Nathan Broadhead

It was reported back in July that Nathan Broadhead had suffered a hamstring injury and while he has not needed surgery for the issue, he is still one of the club’s more long-term absentees.

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“Nathan has seen his specialist and doesn't require surgery, which is a positive, but it's going to be a couple of months, so he is obviously going to be a loss,” McKenna said before the start of the season.

Janoi Donacien

There have been few updates on the future of Janoi Donacien but last month, the boss provided some positive news regarding his fitness levels and potentially his future too. The full-back has been struggling with a groin injury, which kept him out of action for the bulk of last season.

“First and foremost it's brilliant to see him back out on the pitch because he's had such a frustrating time with his injury and I know what he's going through,” McKenna said last month. “It's a big positive to see him looking strong and showing the competitors he is. Beyond that any discussions [about a contract] will happen a little bit further down the line.”

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