A new head of strength and conditioning has started work at Ipswich Town.

Ivan Mukandi joins the Portman Road staff having spent the last seven years working in Arsenal’s academy set-up, serving as the Gunners’ academy strength and conditioning coach, working with players from the Under 15s up to Under 23s.

He will have worked alongside Town’s new head of performance Andy Rolls at the Premier League club, with the latter physio at the Emirates from 2013 to 2018.

Rolls, who has worked under new Town CEO Mark Ashton at Bristol City and previously at Watford, heads up Ipswich’s new performance team, with Mukandi coming under his umbrella as the Blues look to improve the medical department at the club.

Former Premier League defender Jon Ashton is the club’s new fitness coach, while Andy Costin takes on the head of sports science role.

Speaking recently, Rolls said: “My job title is director of performance that gives everyone a lot of ammunition to throw everything at me because the coach turning up late, that can affect performance, the food can affect performance, everything.

“It’s a big topic. Initially, I’m concentrating on the medical team and the sports science team.

“I’ve brought in a lot of new people, I know a lot of them have been [announced] but we’re trying to really put a lot of effort and strength into that department.

“We’ve got a new head of sports science in Andy Costin, we’ve got a new first-team fitness coach in Ash (Jon Ashton), we have got a new head of strength and conditioning called Ivan (ultimately Mukandi), who hasn’t started yet.

“So we’re trying to put a lot of energy into this and the club are supporting us really hard in that to try and upgrade that system.”