Russell Martin‘s MK Dons are set to beat League One counterparts Ipswich Town to the signing of Richard Keogh. The Guardian’s David Hytner reports that the former Derby County captain has been impressed by the club’s vision and their direction under former Norwich City defender and Scotland international Martin, who is preparing the Dons for his first full season in management.
MK Dons Set to Beat Ipswich Town to Signing of Richard Keogh
A Risk Worth Taking
Keogh has been without a club since last October when he was sacked by Championship side Derby. The Republic of Ireland international was a passenger in a car driven by then-teammate Tom Lawrence which crashed into a lamppost following a drunken night out.
The defender suffered serious knee ligament injuries in the crash and, after the club cited gross misconduct, he was sacked too. However, his rehabilitation from those injuries is ahead of schedule, and Hytner reports that Keogh expects to be back playing by October.
Providing that he can recover and maintain a steady level of fitness, this could prove to be a shrewd piece of business by the Dons. They are in need of defenders; Jordan Moore-Taylor was released and has since joined Forest Green Rovers, Martin confirmed at the end of last season that he would be leaving playing behind to focus on managing the club, and both Joe Walsh and Callum Brittain are yet to agree new deals for next season.
The fact that MK Dons have been able to beat off a club the size of Ipswich is a credit to how much they have improved under Martin in such a short space of time. Hytner also reports that other offers were on the table for Keogh, but it is not clear who these were from.
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