Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes new signing Liam Delap can 'be an important player for the club for many years to come'.

The 21-year-old striker has joined the Blues from Manchester City for £15m, with the potential to reach £20m with add-ons.

Capped by England from U16 to U21 level, Delap was handed a taste of Premier League and Champions League football as a teenager before picking up Championship experience during loan spells at Stoke, Preston and Hull.

He has signed a five-year contract at Portman Road.

Blues boss McKenna said: "We are delighted to bring Liam to the club.

“We think he is a player with the qualities to help the team this season but also to be an important player for the Club for many years to come. 

“He is a player with outstanding physical and technical attributes who has a hunger to come here and continue to learn and improve. He has gained good first-team experience from a young age and we feel he has the potential for development here.”

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Delap said: “I have heard so many good things about the feeling around the club and how the players and staff work. That’s why I’m excited to be here.

“The manager here likes to play exciting football. It’s quick and intense and I am looking forward to that. I want to bring goals and assists and I’ll work as hard as I can to help the team.”

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TOWN'S SUMMER BUSINESS

IN: Omari Hutchinson (Chelsea, £18m), Ben Johnson (West Ham, free), Jacob Greaves (Hull City, £15m), Liam Delap (Man City, £15m)

OUT: Gassan Ahadme (Charlton, £1m), Idris El Mizouni (Charlton, £400k), Sone Aluko (retired, now a coach), Kayden Jackson (Derby, free), Vaclav Hladky (rejected new deal), Janoi Donacien, Dominic Ball, Panutche Camara, Nick Hayes (all released)

 

SQUAD AS IT STANDS

GK: Walton, Slicker

RB: Johnson, Clarke

CB: Greaves, Woolfenden, Burgess, Edmundson, Tuanzebe, Ndaba, Baggott

LB: Davis

CM: Morsy, Luongo, Taylor, Humphreys*

RW: Hutchinson*, Burns

AMC: Chaplin

LW: Broadhead, Harness

ST: Hirst, Delap*, Al-Hamadi, Ladapo

* Won't count towards 25-man squad limit as were under 21 at the start of the year