Ipswich Town managing director Ian Milne has assured Blues fans that the money received from Aaron Cresswell’s sale to West Ham – as well as a six-figure cash injection from a new sponsorship deal with Greene King – will go straight into Mick McCarthy’s playing budget.

Milne revealed that a new five-year deal with Greene King was worth ‘a significant six-figure sum’, the Suffolk brewers renewing their association with the club via sponsorship of the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

“The money is very, very helpful and that will be very, very helpful to Mick,” said Milne.

Asked if that meant it would be going to McCarthy to reinvest in his squad, he replied: “Oh yes, there’s a lot of money that goes into the squad – that’s what we’re all here for.”

And when questioned whether the same was true of the transfer fee received from Cresswell’s sale, the left-back sold to West Ham for an initial £3.75m, with £666,000 of that fee going to Tranmere Rovers as part of a sell-on clause, he replied: “Yes, absolutely. That will be reinvested in the club. I think it’s time for Aaron to step up to the Premier League, I certainly see him as a future England left-back and we wish him well.”

He continued: “These are exciting times. We’ve signed four players already (Cameron Stewart, Stephen Hunt, Alex Henshall and Jonathan Parr – all on free transfers) and there will be more to come – I can say that. One thing I do say to everybody is that we are bringing new players in.

“We’ve got the nucleus of a very good squad which Mick will continue to build on. Plus Mick is signed up for another three years so I think we’re fairly solid.”

As part of their five-year sponsorship deal, Greene King – whose logo adorned Town shirts during the promotion season of 2000 – will have their name up alongside that of Sir Alf Ramsey on the South Stand, as well as becoming the official beer providers at Portman Road, in the newly named ‘78 and ‘81 bars, at Portman Road on match days.