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Following a dismal 2018/19 campaign which culminated in them suffering an unceremonious relegation to League One, Ipswich Town would have been wanting to make an immediate return to the Championship this year.

However, despite initially making a superb start to the season under the guidance of manager Paul Lambert, the Tractor Boys are now in need of a miracle to reach the play-offs following an awful drop-off in performance levels.

A run of four wins in their last 21 league games has resulted in Ipswich falling from second in the third-tier standings to 10th.

Given that his side are now seven points adrift of the play-offs, it would not be at all surprising if Lambert is already planning for another season in League One.

If this is indeed the case, the 50-year-old ought to be considering the possibility of overhauling his squad as questions still remain regarding the mentality of his players.

Whereas the likes of Kane Vincent-Young and James Norwood are seemingly both destined for a bright future at Portman Road, it could be argued that Freddie Sears' career is at a crossroads.

Signed by the Tractor Boys in 2015 following an impressive spell with Colchester United in the third-tier, Sears would have been hoping to replicate the displays which allowed him to reach double figures in terms of goals in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons during the existing campaign.

However, since recovering from a serious knee injury that he sustained last year, the forward has ultimately failed to deliver the goods for Ipswich in recent months despite featuring in a number of different roles.

Given that Sears has only managed to score once for the club in 11 league appearances, it may be time to cut ties with the former West Ham United man during the upcoming transfer window as there is no guarantee that he will able to get back to his very best.

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Furthermore, when you consider that Norwood and Kayden Jackson have scored 22 goals between them in League One, Sears may struggle to displace this duo if he does stay for another year.

Given that the forward's contract is set to expire in 2021, Ipswich could potentially secure a modest fee for him that they may be able to use to draft in a player who can help them reach new heights.

Whilst there is no doubting Sears' talent, his troubles with injury have blighted his stint at Portman Road and thus it may be time for him to take on a new challenge with a different club.