Zian Flemming Excited for Premier League Return Against Liverpool

Zian Flemming can feel it already. The lights, the noise, the weight of the badge – and Liverpool coming to town on a Friday night.

Ipswich Town’s new signing spoke of “joy and excitement” as he prepares for a possible debut against Jürgen Klopp’s side, just days after completing a £20m deadline-day move from Burnley.

The 28-year-old forward returns to the Premier League after a bruising but personally impressive season at Turf Moor, where he hit 11 league goals but could not keep the Clarets up.

“For me it's just pure excitement I would say,” Flemming told the media on Thursday, still sounding like a player pinching himself at how quickly his week has changed. “This move for me to go back to the Premier League – I'm happy with that.”

The fixture list made it real.

“When the move was getting closer and I really looked at the schedule and realised we were playing Liverpool on Friday I thought, ‘yeah, I'm really back in the Prem!’,” he said.

That is exactly what he wants. The stage, the scrutiny, the standard.

“That's what you want, to play against the best teams and best players,” he continued. “That's what gave me so much joy and excitement last year, to be able to measure yourself against the very best and have them push you to the next level. I can't wait to do that again and experience that again.”

Flemming talks like a player who thrives on the edge of difficulty. Relegation hurt, but the challenge of proving he belongs at this level clearly did not.

“I just get a sensation of excitement for challenges,” he said. “Whether it's a personal or a team challenge it brings something to life inside of me to take it on. Last season I managed to come out on top of the personal challenge to become a Premier League player but lost out on the team challenge and stay in the league.”

That split – individual success, collective failure – now drives him into this new chapter at Portman Road. Ipswich are back in the big time, and Flemming is determined his second shot at the top flight ends differently.

He reaches for a climber’s image to explain his mindset.

“I'd like to be at the bottom of the mountain and look up and wonder what it is like at the top,” he said. “Then, get my head down and see how far I can get and see whether I can reach the top.”

Liverpool at home, under the lights, is some first step.