Ipswich Town: Jeremy Sarmiento on loan move and promotion ambitions

The Blues made him their first signing of the January transfer window, moving quickly to acquire his services after his loan spell at West Brom was cut short. He boasts top-flight and international experience, having played at the 2022 World Cup for Ecuador.

Attentions will now turn to Portman Road, where Town have made a fine start to life back in the Championship. Sarmiento is excited to be involved with the project, with a long-term spell in Suffolk seemingly not out of the equation either.

“Ipswich are a great team,” he told TownTV.

“They’ve been on a great run, coming from League One to the Championship. They’re also doing well here.

“It attracts players like me to come here and help them reach their main objective, which is going to the Premier League.

“Ipswich were always there from the summer. It didn’t quite work out, but we’re here now and that’s the most important thing. I’m ready to give my best.

Sarmiento will wear the no.21 shirt at Ipswich (Image: ITFC)

“The stadium looks amazing. I’m happy that it’s home for the next six months. Who knows after that, I could extend my time here. That’s the objective, but we’ll see.

Of course, the move has come about quickly. Sarmiento has ended up as one of the earliest signings in the division, making the switch just three days into the transfer window.

“It’s all been pretty quick and smooth,” he explained. “I’ve had a few words with the gaffer, he’s been really good to get me involved.

“I’ve come here to show what I can do and get minutes. He’s given me an opportunity, so I’m ready.

“The conversations were what did it for me. Obviously moving from a Champ team to another Champ team is rare, but he made it clear to me that I’d have my role at the club and the style of play really suits me.

“That’s what made it for me.”

West Brom fans have given mixed reviews surrounding Sarmiento’s time at the Hawthorns, although the spell was primarily used for him to build up match fitness and play regular minutes following a metatarsal injury that he suffered on international duty back in March.

The 21-year-old scored two goals during his time at West Brom (Image: PA Images)

The 21-year-old sees his spell in the West Midlands as a positive, however, having helped Carlos Corberan’s side climb into the play-off places at the midway point in the season.

“My first half of the season at West Brom was amazing,” he claimed.

“I came back from an injury back at Brighton. It was really just to get going again and get minutes. I played my first 90, which I was really happy about.

“Now it’s just about building up and trying to finish the season well.”

Town supporters will have seen brief glimpses of him in their side’s 2-0 defeat to the Baggies back in November, although many have rushed to familiarise themselves by watching YouTube compilation clips.

They show him as an agile, skilful winger who likes to take on defenders, which is exactly the kind of player he thinks he is.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about January signing Jeremy Sarmiento

“I’d like to say I’m a very good one-vs-one player,” he admitted. “I’m very direct, I like to get the audience up on their feet, and you’ll also see a bit of flair come out. That’s my game.”

Of course, his backstory is of particular interest, having played for Charlton Athletic, Benfica and Brighton so far in his career. It hasn’t all been easy, but a tough childhood in South London allowed him to turn to football, and he hasn’t looked back since.

“I was born in Spain, in Madrid. I was there for seven years, and then my dad moved over to the UK for work,” he revealed.

“One day, he brought us over to learn the language with my little sister. When I was out there, I started kicking a ball. I joined a Sunday League team and attracted a lot of attention from teams – Crystal Palace and Charlton, the main South London teams where I grew up, which was Camberwell.

Despite representing England at youth level, Sarmiento always wanted to play for Ecuador. (Image: PA Images)

“It was a very rough area at the time, but I’d say football kept me out of that stuff. Playing in the cages every day was all I’d be doing after school.

“I got picked up by Charlton and signed a three-year deal. I really enjoyed my time there. It’s a really good club. After that, I didn’t sign my scholarship, so I ended up going to Portugal, to Benfica in Lisbon.

“It was an amazing time. The weather there is nice and it was good for my family as well, to learn something different.

“We were really happy with that move and wanted to make a step in my career to play first-team football, which is what I wanted to do.

“I came back home to the UK and Brighton were interested for quite a long time. I was there for a couple of months until I joined up with the first team. Graham Potter was the manager at the time and he gave me the opportunity to become a professional football player.

“I’ve been there for almost three years now. I’ve enjoyed my time, but I feel like I needed more minutes. I came over to the Champ to West Brom, had a really good first half of the season, enjoyed myself and met a lot of good people.

“I just want to end well. I feel like Ipswich is the right place for me right now and hopefully we can meet our objectives.”