Exequiel Palacios Nears Ipswich Move as Third Offer Could Finally Bring Breakthrough

Exequiel Palacios is edging closer to an exit from Bayer Leverkusen after Ipswich Town returned with a third offer for the Argentine midfielder.

According to Renzo Pantich, the latest proposal is understood to be worth around €30 million including bonuses, and there is now optimism that it could finally lead to a breakthrough after the two clubs failed to agree on the midfielder's value in previous rounds of negotiations.

Ipswich's latest bid represents an improvement on their earlier attempts, which were considered too low by Leverkusen. Die Werkself had been looking for a figure closer to €40 million, but with Palacios increasingly keen on the move, both sides now appear to be approaching a possible compromise.

The player's position has been important throughout the process.

Palacios has made his desire to leave Leverkusen clear internally and has even been willing to lower his financial demands to help facilitate a transfer. He is now open to joining Ipswich, despite the club not necessarily being the kind of destination he would have originally imagined when considering his next step.

That willingness has helped keep the deal alive.

Palacios has been one of the defining midfielders of the Bundesliga club's recent rise. Signed from River Plate in 2019, he developed into a key player during Leverkusen's most successful period, helping the club win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal without losing a single league game in the 2023/24 season.

He was also part of the Argentina side that won the 2022 World Cup, giving him the kind of experience that remains difficult to replace.

But the midfield hierarchy at Leverkusen is changing.

New coach Carles Martínez is reshaping the squad, with younger players being given greater consideration. Wonderkid Kennet Eichhorn has arrived as an investment for the future, while Equi Fernández has impressed during pre-season. Robert Andrich, on the other hand, has also been informed that he can leave before the transfer deadline.

Leverkusen were certainly not hoping to lose Palacios at this stage. His potential departure, however, is part of a broader transition in the centre of the pitch.

For Leverkusen, the priority now is finding a club willing to meet their financial demands. Palacios, meanwhile, has no intention of staying, with BILD previously reporting that the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League has significantly reduced his salary and contributed to his desire to leave.

For Ipswich, however, this would be a statement signing.

The Premier League side would be bringing in a midfielder with Bundesliga and Champions League experience, a league title on his CV, and international experience at the highest level. Palacios could immediately become one of the leaders in their midfield and provide the composure and experience needed to compete at Premier League level, similar to what his former teammate and midfield partner Xhaka did with Sunderland last season.

The biggest question now is whether the latest offer is enough.

Leverkusen have maintained a higher valuation for much of the summer, but Palacios wants the move and Ipswich are now getting closer to that figure.

After weeks of negotiations, the third offer may finally be the one that changes everything.

Palacios is increasingly close to leaving Leverkusen, and Ipswich could soon secure one of the most experienced midfielders available on the market.