Ipswich Town are closing in on the signing of Rangers defender George Edmundson, we understand.
The 23-year-old is highly rated but has slipped down the pecking order at the Scottish giants, with the Blues moving quickly to sign a player who has garnered significant Championship interest, both loan and permanent, this summer.
It’s understood a significant six-figure fee has been agreed with the Ibrox club and personal terms completed on what is expected to be a long-term deal, with just a few loose ends to complete before the deal is announced.
Edmundson could become Town’s ninth summer signing, with plenty more incomings still expected as CEO Mark Ashton and manager Paul Cook rebuild the Ipswich squad this summer.
The signing of Edmundson is unlikely to be the last in the centre of defence, with an experienced head still thought to be on the agenda and a move for Everton’s Lewis Gibson not completely off the table, should the right deal present itself.
Toto Nsiala and Luke Woolfenden are, at this stage, the only senior centre-backs at the club, with Edmundson’s arrival bringing increased competition in an important area of the pitch.
The 6ft 3in defender joined Rangers from Oldham in the summer of 2019 in a £750,000 deal but has never fully established himself at Ibrox at a time when the Glasgow club have made significant inroads into rivals Celtic’s Scottish dominance, ultimately winning the title last season.
He only made 17 appearances for Rangers during his two seasons at the club, scoring twice, before spending the second half of last season on loan at Derby in the Championship, where he scored once in 10 appearances.
The Rams are thought to have been keen on a fresh deal for the defender but have been hindered by an ongoing transfer embargo, while Peterborough have also shown interest.
But he appears set to continue his career at Portman Road, with the signing likely to be announced in the coming days.
Hayden Coulson, the Middlesbrough left-back, is another who could soon be making the move to Portman Road, while we revealed this morning how the Blues are working in a permanent deal for Barnsley forward Conor Chaplin.
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