French-Guinean midfielder Cheick Kourouma's move to the Blues has finally been confirmed. The 20-year-old, who TWTD was first to reveal was on Town's radar in May, signed a one-year deal prior to the closure of the transfer window but was waiting for clearance from the authorities.

The ex-Sochaux, Genoa U20s and Real Zaragoza man had already been waiting to sign for two months while Town cut through red tape relating to his former clubs.

Chief executive Simon Clegg told the club site he is delighted to finally bring the deal to a conclusion: “It’s been an area of particular frustration for me in how long this process has taken.

“Despite none of these clubs offering him a professional contract, under the relatively new FIFA compensation regulations, we could have been liable for nearly €250,000 compensation to these clubs.

“Despite some of these clubs not even having any record of Cheick having been there, the mere sniff of compensation from an English Championship club had suddenly got them all very excited.”

Manager Paul Jewell said he was concerned the deal might break down: “There was so much red tape involved and clubs were coming out of the woodwork that it looked like it was not going to work.

“I was disappointed for the lad but the club have cut their way through the red tape and got over the line in the end.”

Photo: Action Images

itfcbarmyarmy added 19:34 - Sep 14 Well i'm glad we wrapped that deal up nice and quickly!!!
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TownLad21 added 19:35 - Sep 14 finally
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Sindre94 added 19:38 - Sep 14 WELCOME MATE! :)
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harlingblue added 19:38 - Sep 14 Well done ITFC on this one...now it is down Cheick to push on with a Club that wanted him.
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Garv added 19:48 - Sep 14 We've signed Yakubu! Seriously though, what a saga! Glad its all done now. From what I've seen, I think he could be useful.
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Paddy39 added 19:59 - Sep 14 Don't get to excited as we have only signed him on a one year deal prior to the window closing. Looks like another Luke Hyam affair. One year is not enough if we've been chasing him around other european clubs and we must know if he has any potential or not, I would of thought after all the p1ss potting about he would of had at least 2 years. Still we will see how good he is in the weeks to come.

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Edmunds5 added 21:08 - Sep 14 Pleased he's joined us purely for his own dedication to get this deal done as he doesn't have an agent I believe, so hats of to him, hopefully he knuckles down and does well.
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blueash78 added 21:20 - Sep 14 Any player that's prepared to put the work in to playing for town as he has is welcome. Hope he can spread some of that desire in the rest of the squad.
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ChrisMakin2012 added 21:45 - Sep 14 He's not even that good.
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KIWI78 added 21:53 - Sep 14 "He's not even that good" Give over. How many of us can say we have seen him play? Poor S+d, shows the kind of determination and focus many of us moan the team lacks, and thats all you can say?
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CanadianBlue added 21:58 - Sep 14 Hope that he can settle with us and stake a claim for a starting position. It's a real shame that his former clubs had to cause such a hassle, especially for such a small and petty "fee" that they could have gotten.
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Talbs77 added 22:00 - Sep 14 My god this transfer first started when the earth cooled!! Good luck to the boy.
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walberswick added 23:08 - Sep 14 let's hope we have a real manager when he finally starts getting some games.
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runningout added 23:12 - Sep 14 think I have lost the will to live
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Nunn_the_Wiser added 23:23 - Sep 14 Pointless waste of paper. Clegg at fault for global warming and destruction of the amazon rainforest. Keane out.
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sindrek74 added 23:42 - Sep 14 Hello everyone! This ismy first listing on this site. I`m a long time Ipswich fan, and as so many of you I`m not sure how this season will pen out. Ido think that Loach, Taylor and N`daw are solid signings. Letting Delaney and Stevenson go for free was for me a great mistake. Delaney played for Palace tonight, and did great. It will most sertainly be a tough season for us. Chieik Korouma will do well if he get played. This one was a bargain people.

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Safetyfirstmrwarke added 23:55 - Sep 14 Welcome, young fella and the best of luck to you. Ironically I hope you don't read this site and some of the bullish*t opinions on here...
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DiamondGezzer added 07:09 - Sep 15 Canadianblue :- Such is the ugly businessmoneygrabbing side of the once was beautiful game.
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pazelle added 10:33 - Sep 15 Welcome aboard Cheick Kourouma! Well happy with this!
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budgieplucker added 11:07 - Sep 15 Hopefully I am wrong, I had sensed that Jewell went cold on the idea of this lad when the N'Daw signing came in view and I almost felt he wanted the deal to fall through - given the lad's terrific commitment to help sort the paperwork out we could now hardly renege on the offer. The brief glimpse of him when he came on for the last 10 minutes against West Ham in the pre-season friendly showed that he was a gritty and determined young player who was unlikely to be bullied in midfield. I think part of the reason we may have signed him is also to provide a bit of extra steel to the squad at U21 level as well, there is a real league to compete in now at U21 level and the likes of Hyam & Murray who we tend to think of as the younger players at the club can only now play as part of the over aged complement. With N'Daw and Hyam ahead of him one would think his opportunities are likely to be limited but who knows and it may be useful to have a bit of extra competition in this area at the club.

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Ipswichbusiness added 11:31 - Sep 15 Oh dear, I am rather pessimistic about this. If you look at his wikipedia entry he was born on 27 July 1992 and his record has been; 2006 C.O. Vincennes 2007 ASBR Football 2007-8 Dijon FC 2008-9 US Torcy 2009-10 Sochaux 2010-11 Real Zaragoza 2011-12 Genoa Even if you dismiss the first two clubs on the basis that he was very young at the time, it is still the record of someone who is very restless at best. I don't think he'll be here next season.

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righty added 14:41 - Sep 15 Have any on here seen him another Stevenson totally useless typical Jewell signing for you simpletons on here just look at wonderful Jewells signings he is No 24 how many have proved any good the Pro Jewell EADT could only come up with5 and 2 of them are Loach and Chambers and they have only played 4 games totally unproven
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LankHenners added 15:05 - Sep 15 At last! A transfer saga that we have come away from and got who we wanted! If he works hard and puts in the effort he should be a very good signing.
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BuckieBlue added 22:09 - Sep 15 HIs commitment to signing is commendable- welcome aboard!
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