Ipswich Town

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Ipswich Town have confirmed the signing of 17-year-old midfielder Chris Atherton from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

The Republic of Ireland youth international moved to Stamford Bridge last summer, having made 32 senior appearances for then Irish Premiership side Glenavon.

He signed a professional contract in October and was a regular in Chelsea's U17 and U18 sides.

Atherton made history during his time at the Lurgan Blues in September 2022 when he became the youngest senior footballer in the United Kingdom at 13 years and 329 days old.

In February, it was revealed that the then Chelsea academy player had switched his international allegiance from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.

The teenager had previously represented Northern Ireland at Under-16 and Under-17 level and scored one international goal.

"I'm delighted to be here and can't wait to get started," said Atherton.

"I hope to offer a lot of creativity and attacking threat going forward and obviously working as hard as possible to get better every day."

Ipswich's Academy Manager Ben Chenery added: "We are extremely pleased to announce the signing of Chris Atherton from Chelsea.

"Chris is an exciting attacking player we believe possesses big potential which we look forward to continuing to develop through the next stage of his career."

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With pre-season officially in full swing, we asked you to tell us what you're looking forward to about club football returning.

Here are some of your replies:

Ollie: Plenty to look forward to for Town fans. Another summer of change. Gary O'Neil has taken over from our beloved Kieran McKenna. Although there have been a lot of mixed emotions around the departure and arrival, Town fans will get behind the manager and the team come the first game against Sunderland. We have the opportunity to have a second crack at the big league. It's fair to say the club is in a better position from our last promotion, and fans will know what to expect from the season. We're all hopeful we can avoid relegation this time.

David: A solid team with loads of spirit that gives 100% each game.

Steve: The excitement of the matchday experience, from my journey to Portman Road, being in the fan zone, having a burger, meeting up with my son then the football, cheering the team on win, lose or draw, the banter. It's also my escape from daily life. I love it!

Tiny: Some more new signings. Hopefully we will stay up.

James: Looking forward to being back in the Premier League and hopefully finishing above Spurs.

Tim: Seeing so many well-known players and managers at Portman Road again will be great. VAR much less welcome!

Will: O'Neil still being in post after Christmas because the team are performing to the required level to have at least a decent shout of survival.

Ipswichhave made an approach for 22-year-old Leicesterand Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu. (Telegraph), external

Tottenham Hotspur have rejected a loan offer fromIpswich Town for Mikey Moore, the 18-year-old winger who spent last season with Rangers. (Football Insider, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Jaden Philogene is ready to leave Ipswich Town, with the winger attracting interest in Europe.

The 24-year-old has a growing list of admirers, believed to include Bologna, Roma and Benfica.

Ipswich are aware of Philogene's desire to leave and are unlikely to stand in his way if a suitable offer comes in.

The former Hull City and Aston Villa man is understood to be eager to play in Europe having helped the Tractor Boys return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Despite his expected exit, Philogene has returned for pre-season focused and impressed with his attitude, having appeared detached at times last term.

He scored 13 goals in 36 games for Ipswich last season - including in both games against Norwich City as Town completed the double over their rivals for the first time since 1992-93.

They finished second in the Championship, behind champions Coventry City, but boss Kieran McKenna stepped down in May and has been replaced by Gary O'Neil.

Former England Under-21 international Philogene joined from Villa in January 2025 for £20m and has scored 16 times in 47 appearances for Ipswich.

He started his career at Villa Park before moving to Hull in 2023, scoring 12 goals in 32 games, before Villa re-signed him a year later despite initial interest from Ipswich at the time.

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BBC Radio Suffolk's Graeme McLoughlin and Harvey Bell continue their (3 in 4) Top 5 Ipswich series with a discussion around the club's biggest rivals during Kieran McKenna's tenure.

From Plymouth Argyle pipping Town to the League One title in 2022-23 to knocking six goals past Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road in 2023-24 - the pair delve into it all.

Listen in full below or on BBC Sounds here

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We asked you which players you have watched at the World Cup that you think would be a great fit at Ipswich.

Here are some of your comments:

Paul: I wouldn't mind getting Julio Enciso back at Ipswich. He knows the club from his previous loan spell when we were last in the Premier League and he played under Gary O'Neil at Strasbourg last season - but that goal against Germany will make it difficult for us to afford him. I imagine BlueCo will transfer him to Chelsea, though, so we will have to wait until January to come to the rescue with a loan deal and an option-to-buy when we stay up.

Matthew: I would like Town to get Harry Souttar of Australia in. He really showed he is a good player at this World Cup. A very strong player.

Michael: I think Harry Souttar would be an ideal fit for the defence. He is in League One with Leicester City and would relish a move to the Premier League.

Louis: From watching the World Cup, I would like to see Ipswich sign Folarin Balogun from Monaco, who has looked excellent, and Zion Suzuki of Japan as our new goalkeeper, who would have a big chance of establishing us in the top flight. Ruben Vargas could also be an option on the wing, if we decide to sell Jaden Philogene.

Paul: We should get Mostafa Ziko from Egypt. He is great, fast and accurate with superb ball control.

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Ipswich Town boss Gary O'Neil says "the club is in a fantastic spot" going into the 2026-27 season, but he believes "a big team effort" will be needed to preserve top-flight status.

The Tractor Boys finished second in the Championship last season, claiming 23 wins from 46 games to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.

"When the opportunity came up, it didn't take me too long to decide this was the place to be," O'Neil told TownTV, external. "I'm really excited to be back in the Premier League at a club with so much history.

"The club is in a fantastic spot and I'm looking forward to trying to put the next step onto that this season - first, by making sure we maintain our Premier League status and, secondly, aiming even higher than that if we get going well.

"I'm looking forward to standing in a packed-out Portman Road, with the sun shining still, trying to take our first three points.

"There was a lot to do when I came in and there is still a lot to do now, but I enjoy everything on my to-do list from the recruitment side of things, to getting to know all the players and the staff, to making sure everyone knows how much I appreciate them.

"Everybody has been incredible to me so far. They know it is going to be a big team effort this season. Every point we earn will be a reflection of the work that everyone has done."

On his personal managerial goals, O'Neil said: "I review things all the time to make sure I'm maximising what I can achieve as a manager.

"This is a fantastic industry to be involved in because there are some fantastic things to achieve. I'm trying to get as high as I can in the game - and the journey brings me to Ipswich at the moment.

"The trajectory this club has been on in the past few years makes it a fantastic opportunity. I'm thankful to the guys who trusted me with this job, now it is time to repay them and this incredible fanbase."

The World Cup is doing a fantastic job of filling the Premier League void, but there is nothing quite like club football.

As the tournament in North America heads towards its climax, there is an Ippswich Town fanbase waiting for the 2026-27 season with anticipation.

So, it has got us thinking: what are you looking forward to most about club football resuming?

Send us your choices here

Ipswich Town will not be making a move for Hearts forward Claudio Braga despite speculation linking them with the 26-year-old Portuguese. (Daily Record), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

A new edition of BBC Radio Suffolk's The Blue Hour is now available on BBC Sounds.

Former Ipswich Town defender Ashley Young shares his views as England progress to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and subscribe to the dedicated Ipswich Town page to get all Tractor Boys audio content.

When the World Cup ends, regardless of who wins, we'll still have loads of great content every day as we build up to the new Premier League season.

We're already working on some exciting new things for 2026-27.

As well as all the fallout and reaction to the tournament, we'll quickly shift back towards club football, with pre-season coverage and all the latest transfer gossip and stories.

BBC Sport and teams across BBC Nations and Regions cover all 20 Premier League sides and we have dedicated club reporters, who will be travelling to bring you behind-the-scenes insights from pre-season tours.

We'll also have live pages for selected pre-season matches, as well as in-depth features and storytelling, giving you the latest updates before the new campaign.

Once the World Cup ends, some of the standout players will be hot property in the transfer market, with top clubs chasing their signatures.

Our reporters, including senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel, will be breaking the big transfer stories on our website and app.

We'll also have our daily transfer gossip column, wrapping up all the rumours from across the football world.

For fans of World Cup Predictor, a new weekly game will be launching immediately after the tournament, with five fixtures a week to predict the outcomes of. You'll be able to build up your streaks and share your results with friends and family.

Our quizzes will also continue to be available to play so you can test your knowledge of the beautiful game.

Our new Shorts tab in the BBC Sport app will be the home of sport videos with content throughout the week from your club, including explainers, pundit analysis, interviews and behind-the-scenes content. We'll also be starting to include more reaction from fans so you can see the latest hot takes and debate the biggest talking points from your club.

Live pages are going to get bigger and better with more interactive elements, more conversation and improved functionality. They'll have BBC Radio 5 Live audio commentaries for the Premier League and Champions League, as well as live video for FA Cup.

Remember, the best way to get all of this content is to download the BBC Sport app and follow your favourite teams and sports using the My Sport tab.

Once you've set this up, you'll have quick access to those pages at the top of your Home tab and we'll be able to serve you better, more personalised, experiences in future.

And when following your Premier League team, from the start of the 2026-27 season you'll also get Live Notifications, which give you score updates directly on your phone's lock screen during a match.

Read more about what content you can expect here

Pre-season is just around the corner and the Premier League returns in less than 50 days.

Here is Ipswich's pre-season schedule - with kick-off times in BST.

• 29 July v Osasuna (Colchester United) - 19:45

• 1 August v Oxford United (A) - 12:00

• 1 August v Wycombe Wanderers (A) - 16:00

• 4 August v Le Havre (H) - 19:45

• 8 August v Rayo Vallecano (H) - 15:00

• 15 August v Union Berlin (A) - 14:30

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Plenty of players have made names for themselves at this World Cup, from goalkeepers like Cape Verde's Vozinha and Paraguay's Orlando Gill to New Zealand midfielder Elijah Just.

But though they might not have been familiar to fans, the extent of modern scouting means clubs all over the world will already have known about many of them – so how have their heroics at the tournament affected their standing in the game, and their value in the transfer market?

More than the Score's Mani Djazmi is joined Ben Littlemore from Transfermarkt, one of the world's foremost football databases. Lutz Pfannenstiel, sporting director at Aberdeen, also shares his footballing knowledge in today's episode.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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BBC Radio Suffolk's Graeme McLoughlin and Harvey Bell continue their (3 in 4) Top 5 Ipswich series with a look at Town's cult heroes.

McLoughlin describes a cult hero as "a player that maybe isn't the best in the team, but the fans have really taken to their hearts and have had a few key moments".

Next week's edition will examine top rivalries in recent seasons.

Listen in full below or on BBC Sounds here

Ipswich Town and Trabzonspor have joined Lyon in expressing an interest in 26-year-old Hearts forward Claudio Braga. (Record via Scottish Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Ipswich Town have completed the signing of Brazilian striker Emersonn, who says he has "picked the perfect club" to join.

The 21-year-old joins from French Ligue 1 side Toulouse on a five-year contract and chairman Mark Ashton said the deal "is an exciting moment for the club".

Ashton said: "As we prepare for our return to the Premier League we know recruitment will be crucial, with the club investing significantly in this area in recent years in order to bring the best possible talent from across the globe to the club.

"In making Emersonn our first signing of the summer we know we have acquired a young, hungry player with a high ceiling, with more signings to follow as we continue to invest to give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving our goal in the Premier League."

Manager Gary O'Neil said there had been "plenty of interest" in Emersonn.

The striker, who has played for Brazil at youth level, joined Toulouse in September 2025 and scored three times in 18 league appearances across the remainder of the campaign.

Emersonn explained: "I am very proud to sign for Ipswich Town.

"Playing in the Premier League is something I have always dreamed of and I know I have picked the perfect club to do that with.

"I will give everything for the team every time I play and I can't wait to get started and meet my new teammates as well as the supporters."

Ipswich Town want to seal a club record signing of 21-year-old Brazilian forward Emersonn from Toulouse. (Give Me Sport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Some of the debate on this week's The Blue Hour on BBC Radio Suffolk focused on Wes Burns signing a new one-year contract.

"I'm absolutely delighted to have extended my stay at the club," said Burns, who has formed part of three promotion squads.

"I am so proud to have represented Ipswich Town for the last five years and to have achieved so much during that time. I love everything about the club and the area so to be able to stay and play in the Premier League again is something I am really looking forward to.

"Winning a third promotion last season was really special for the club and the town, and also for me personally, after working so hard to get back on the pitch after a long time out through injury. After missing so much of our last season in the Premier League, I'm really motivated to compete at the highest level again and help the club take the next step."

Speaking on The Blue Hour, fan and caller James said: "The longer it went on the more concerns there might have been that it was a deal that wasn't going to be made. To get that deal over the line at this point is very encouraging.

"As much as we spent a lot of money on that right side going into last season's promotion push, there's no doubt Burns ended the season as the best option on the right side. Having spent a lot of money on Kasey McAteer and Sindre Walle Egeli they are not going to be content with a place on the bench. It's a position where we are in more of a position of strength now. At the end of the day, competition can only be a good thing.

"Burns is a modern-day Ipswich Town legend, I don't think there's any doubt about that."

Explore all Ipswich content on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on which free agents Ipswich could target this summer and whether there is one player the Tractor Boys are linked with but you hope they never sign.

Here are some of your comments:

Ray: We have to step up in class and we need proven Premier League quality. Youth and potential is good but we need to stay up first and foremost. Sign John Stones. Then a top midfielder, and a class goalscorer. Money? Yes, but it depends on the ambition of our club.

James: I would definitely give Jadon Sancho a go. There is clearly a player there that just needs a bit of confidence and the right club. Not averse to any particular player but Premier League ready would be best. If his fitness issues are behind him, Stones would be a great signing, along with Callum Wilson. I would imagine there will be plenty of competition for these three though!

Paul: I'm hoping the Orlando Gill rumour is true as he'd be a great addition to Ipswich. Class goalie.

Toejam: Bring in some already-experienced top-flight players instead of going for another raid on the Championship. Don't bring back Liam Delap because he's not good enough for the Premier League. Wilson is a better option.

Louis: We should try to avoid players like Tom Fellows and Daniel Jebbison because they are not good enough to play Premier League football.

A new edition of BBC Radio Suffolk's The Blue Hour is now available on BBC Sounds.

The team bring you reaction to winger Wes Burns signing a new contract at Portman Road, plus hear from former Ipswich defender Tommy Smith on his second World Cup with New Zealand a staggering 16 years on from his first.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and subscribe to the dedicated Ipswich Town page to get all Tractor Boys audio content.