Ipswich Town have signed forward, Abdul Fatawu from Leicester in a £23m transfer.
Fatawu’s move sees him return to the Premier League after an one-season absence in which his nine goals in 44 appearances last campaign couldn’t help Leicester regain promotion to the top-flight, as the Foxes instead suffered a second consecutive relegation down into League One.
The Foxes consequently accepted a £23m offer from Ipswich, which comprised of a £20m initial fee plus a further £3m in add-ons, with Fatawu having subsequently signed a five-year contract until June 2031 with the Tractor Boys.
“I am proud to have signed for Ipswich Town,” explained Fatawu on his move to Ipswich and chance to play under new manager, Gary O’Neil who has replaced Kieran McKenna following the latter’s decision to step down for personal reasons despite having overseen their promotion back to the Premier League.
“The ambition the club has is very exciting and I’m looking forward to being a part of that as we prepare for the Premier League season. After speaking to the manager, I know what the expectation is and I’m looking forward to meeting my teammates and starting work.
“I have played against Ipswich a few times during my time in England and I know how passionate the supporters are for the club, so I’m excited to play for them and show them what I can do.”
O’Neil added that the 22-year-old has experience and quality to give himself extra tactical versatility in his team selections, with Fatawu now set to join his new teammates in their pre-season training camp in La Manga, Spain, after a break following his involvement in Ghana’s World Cup campaign.
“Abdul is a young player who has already gained good experience in the game and we’re excited to have him with us.
“He has strong physical and technical attributes, is comfortable on the ball and can test the opposition in one-on-one situations, so will provide us with good options within the squad.
“Having represented his country at the World Cup this summer, I know he is now looking forward to getting to work ahead of the Premier League season.”
Fatawu began his career with Ghana’s Steadfast FC where he scored 20 goals in 27 appearances amidst a loan at Dreams where he netted six goals in seven appearances, before Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon signed him in April 2022 but failed to score in 12 appearances.
He subsequently moved to Leicester initially on loan for the 2023-24 season which saw him help the Foxes claim promotion back to the Premier League with seven goals in 43 appearances, which led the club to activate a buy clause and he went on to score nine goals in 57 appearances across the last two seasons.
Fatawu ultimately managed 16 goals in 100 appearances across three seasons at Leicester.
Fatawu has represented Ghana at senior international level since his debut in 2021 with three goals in 32 total appearances.