Midfielder Luciano Civelli has left Town by mutual consent, the club having settled the remaining year of his contract. The Argentinian is set to join Paraguayan club Libertad later today.

The 24-year-old says his time with the Blues won’t be forgotten, despite his injury-hit two and a half years at Portman Road hardly going to plan: "It's a decision that I'm happy with.

"I will never forget the supporters at Ipswich. They were fantastic to me when I first arrived here and especially when I was injured.

"I would meet fans around the town and they would always ask how I was getting on. The reaction I got when I played my first game after the injury for the first team was very special — it was an emotional moment for me.

"I want to thank the medical staff at the club, the coaches, the manager and the other players. They have all been great to me and I wish Ipswich all the best for the future."

Speaking before leaving for South America and with his Paraguayan deal yet to be completed, he added: "This is the right move for me. It happens in football that things don’t always work out.

“But I am still young and there are hopefully a few opportunities for me back home to join a club, get my career going again and play regular first team football.

"My knee is 100 per cent now but I have missed a lot of football and want to make up for those times. I hope Ipswich have a good season and want to wish the club well."

Blues boss Paul Jewell said he hopes the midfielder has a more successful time with his future clubs: "Luca worked hard to get back after what was obviously a bad injury and wants to be playing regular football again. We wish him every success for the future."

Civelli joined Town from Banfield in Argentina in January 2009 for a fee of £1.1 million when the club was under Jim Magilton’s management.

Having impressed in his early games for the Blues, two months after signing on at Portman Road, the Pehuajó-born player suffered a serious multi-ligament injury in the 1-1 home draw with Burnley, only his eighth match for the club.

That injury sidelined him for the next 23 months, the left-sided midfield man only returning to the first team as a sub in the 3-0 home victory over Sheffield United in February of this year.

Eight more substitute appearances followed but without Civelli ever seriously looking like he would force his way into Paul Jewell’s starting line-up.

Much the same was true this pre-season. After being included in the party which made the trip to Holland and having started the opening match against FC Eindhoven, Civelli dropped into the reserves squad and his last game for the Blues was the second string friendly at Bury Town last Wednesday.

Photo: Action Images

WeirdFishes added 08:52 - Jul 28 Good luck Luca I allways liked you and thought you were a great player, I hope you make it :)
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delias_cheesy_flaps added 08:57 - Jul 28 It might not have been eloquent but it's certainly true. I don't know many other companies that will pay you for the best part of 2 years when sick or injured and pay you the rest of your contract when you leave? Nice work if you can get it being a pro footballer. Thankfully I haven't have the choice of watching the dross served up as entertainment at Portman Road for the last 5 years due to working overseas....lucky me!

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AFCC added 09:03 - Jul 28 such a shame but a fresh start is probably what he needs to fulfill that potential, all the best Luca.
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dirtyboy added 09:04 - Jul 28 A popular lad! Won't be forgotten, sorry he missed out on 2 years of playing, best of luck with his future!
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blueoff added 09:15 - Jul 28 Why u luca so sad all a time as eef u listen to country & western music, adios
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JewellintheTown added 09:16 - Jul 28 @d_c_f - I have to agree in part with you. Shame he couldnt have stayed longer and paid back some of the affection /loyalty the club supported him with. I understand the issues re: injury/ recovery etc but seems a shame purely on a business level to have invested financially and not seen much back. On a personal level, I wish him all the best and a real shame we didnt get to see him in his full glory, and thank him for his contributions. Best of Luck mr C.

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yarmoblue added 09:18 - Jul 28 good luck in the future luca, shame things didnt work out for you
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matthollandisgod added 09:18 - Jul 28 shame he is ace on football manager 2010!
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Breedonblue added 09:19 - Jul 28 Best of luck to him. Such a shame he picked up a such a nasty complex injury, on the positive side he's lucky he's still able to walk let alone think of playing. So it seems London_Blue was spot on. So, what else do you know London?
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alfromcol added 09:20 - Jul 28 delias_cheesy_flaps ever heard of insurance payouts??
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rosseden added 09:21 - Jul 28 I think youll find this was insitgated by the club and not by Luca...... so all the 'hes got no loyalty' rubbish if ridiculous, im not sure it was discussed, and, no one knows the value of termination, so it might have been agreed we all walked away with no further liability, which frees up wages for someone else....... good result all round i think........ as for the 'what jobs pays you for being on the sick for two years' any job where your fitness is paramount to doing your work, you get injured WHILIST AT WORK, and there are fixed term contracts, would have this sort of clause in it...... if you fall down the stairs pi$$ed then i wouldnt expect hed have got paid, hence they are contracted to not ride motorbikes and other high risk things..... but you cant do much when they get injured WHLIST AT WORK!!!

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StortfordBlue added 09:36 - Jul 28 Best of luck with the future Luca, I think the best decision for all parties
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algarvefan added 09:53 - Jul 28 D-C-F PLEASE stay abroad
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Lightningboy added 10:10 - Jul 28 Best of luck..shame things didn't work out for us both.
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BYRNE_16 added 10:12 - Jul 28 best of Luck Luca. hope it works out for you.
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brogansnose added 10:27 - Jul 28 All the best Luca shame it didnt work out for all of us. D-C-F....we have missed you so much, not.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 10:34 - Jul 28 Seems like a nice, genuine lad. Sorry it didn't work out for him through absolutely no fault of his own, but the change is probably best both for him and for ITFC. Good luck Luca. I hope you can still make a career in the game.
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AbujaBlue added 10:53 - Jul 28 Huge shame that this didn't work out for him, but he was up against it for the best part of his time here. Good luck Luca.
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JeordieX added 11:02 - Jul 28 Good luck Luca!
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Immy added 11:36 - Jul 28 Best of luck Luca! A real shame it didn't work out for him here, he looked real quality and it's such a shame that this injury ruined his Town career. Also I think it's good that it all got sorted out so amicably and with respect on both sides. Such things do happen in football and it's a nice antidote to all the idiocy, contempt and nastiness that gets far more attention.

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churchmans added 11:39 - Jul 28 good luck,all the best BLAH BLAH BLAH! what a phucking waste of money! there is even a guy on here mufc or whatever his name is,says he is GUTTED! do me a favour mate 1million pounds gets injured for 23 months (not hes fault sheet happens) comes back and turns out he aint good enuff anyway!! all this while on full pay (somebody must now what he was on) and then cos he is so shiiit pj let him go! and the club pays him up hes last year of contract to get rid! The same could happen if we got bullard! imagine the cost? would still have him here

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churchmans added 11:45 - Jul 28 IMMY wehat idiocy,contempt and nastiness you on about??? were all town fans and were gutted that we lost out all this money must be in the millions!! for a player that was ment to be some shiit hot find from south america and hes turned out to be a load of krap anyway!! message to DCF keep your posts coming in it dont matter to me you aint been for last 5 years cos of work you still a fan to me so keep posting. some of em aint got a phuking life all they got is saturday at 1pm!!! then go home after match and watch x-factor with there boyfriends.

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churchmans added 11:48 - Jul 28 SPEAKER OF TRUTH AND FACTS
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statto72 added 11:56 - Jul 28 Good luck Luca, a shame things didn't work out but sometimes that's just football. One thing I didn't know was that he cost £1.1m. That must be quite a few grand per minute played.
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robdaful added 11:57 - Jul 28 Good luck
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