Ipswich Town have signed former loan striker George Hirst on a four-year deal from Leicester City.
The EADT and Ipswich Star understands the transfer fee is in the region of £1.5m. That has the potential to rise significantly with add-ons, but even if all clauses are hit it won’t match the club-record £4.5m paid for goalkeeper Matteo Sereni in 2001.
He becomes the fifth seven-figure signing under the club's American owners following on from the additions of Leif Davis (Leeds, £1m+), Nathan Broadhead (Everton, £1.5m), Harry Clarke (Arsenal, £1m) and Jack Taylor (Peterborough, £1.5m).
Hirst, 24, scored seven goals for the Blues during the second half of last season – including vital ones in wins at Bolton, Derby and Barnsley – to help Kieran McKenna’s men secure promotion to the Championship.
It's understood that he won't fly to Austria for the latter stages of a week-long training camp but will instead join up with the squad on Monday and could be involved in next Wednesday's friendly at Preston.
Town’s central striker unit is now made up of Hirst, Freddie Ladapo, Kayden Jackson (who transitioned into more of a winger last season) and Joe Pigott (who is expected to depart).
It’s understood that adding another striker to the squad is not out of the question as Ipswich prepare to play second-tier football for the first time since 2018/19.
CURRENT TOWN SQUAD (29)
GK: Walton, Hladky, Slicker*, Hayes.
RB: Clarke, Donacien.
CB: Woolfenden, Burgess, Edmundson, Baggott.
LB: Davis, Leigh.
CM: Morsy, Taylor, Luongo, Evans, Ball, Camara, Humphreys*.
RW: Burns, Jackson.
AMC: Chaplin, Aluko.
LW: Broadhead, Edwards, Harness.
ST: Hirst, Ladapo, Pigott.
* Do not have to be registered in 25-man squad due to age.
OUT ON LOAN: Ndaba (Kilmarnock), El Mizouni (Leyton Orient), Ahadme (Cambridge Utd).
AVAILABLE FOR LOAN: Hayes, Baggott, Camara.
IN TALKS OVER EXIT: Pigott.
Welcome back. #itfc pic.twitter.com/xh72tsmCIc
— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) July 13, 2023
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