Town have confirmed that trialist midfielder Kevin Bru has put pen to paper on a one-year deal with an option for a second season. Earlier, manager Mick McCarthy revealed that the 25-year-old had become the Blues' first ever Mauritius international.

“We’ve just signed two today in Kevin Bru and Balint,” McCarthy said. “Kevin’s a midfield player who looks a really gifted footballer. He was in the school of excellence at Clairfontaine, he’s got a good background to him.

“Sometimes people drift for a while and I’m hoping that he can give us something. He looks a nice, talented, positive footballer who plays forward passes.”

Bru told the club site: “I feel really good, having signed for Ipswich. I have been here on trial for two weeks and I have been happy with the way my football has gone.

“I have followed English football for many years and it’s a great opportunity for me to come and play here for such a big club as Ipswich.

“I spoke to my friend, Bakary Sako at Wolverhampton and he said the football in England is fantastic with all the stadiums and the fans.

“He said it would be a good for me to come to England and I’m looking forward to my time here.

"I hope we start well against Fulham and have a good season. I think we have the team to do that. I think we have the team to get to the Premier League. I hope so.”

Paris-born Bru, who was a free agent, was a youth player with IFF Clairfontaine and Rennes, where he made his break into senior football when he made two Ligue 1 sub appearances in the 2006/07 season.

A set-piece expert, 6ft tall Bru continued his career in the French second division, spending time on loan at Châteauroux and Clermont Foot before joining Dijon FCO on a permanent basis in January 2010. He moved on to US Boulogne a year later and then spent 2012/13 with FC Istres.

Last season, after a reported €250,000 move, he scored one goal in 26 appearances in Bulgaria with Levski Sofia, with whom he played twice in the Europa League, before leaving at the end of the campaign.

Having won U18 and U19 caps with France, Bru switched international allegiance in 2011 and has won two caps with Mauritius.

His older brother Jonathan has also played international football for Mauritius and is also a free agent having been released by the Melbourne Victory in January.

Photo: Action Images

bloomers_23 added 15:02 - Jul 31 Incoming 'Iron Bru' merchandise in 3.... 2.....
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Surco72 added 15:04 - Jul 31 Good luck to both new signings ,hopefully you will be a success at Town . Still feel a little under whelmed by our summer transfer dealings so far compared to other clubs in the league especially after the selling of Cresswell and the money being for transfers ? The wages for the signings so far would have been covered by those that have left and we have signed players with little to no experience of the championship . The only decent side we have played pre season we couldn't break down to score , as with many games last year ?

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Bown added 15:29 - Jul 31 lets get in the brother also
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SouperJim added 15:32 - Jul 31 Phil, do you know if the option for the second year on these deals is with us, or the player?
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mroberts added 15:40 - Jul 31 I agree, free transfers are free for a reason. I really did think that the money we got for Cressie would have got us a couple of decent players, one being a quality play maker. It appears that MM thinks we can do the same as last season with the same squad of players. I wish MM and Ipswich would be a little;e more adventurous.
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austractor added 15:44 - Jul 31 McGoldrick was free, Skuse was free. Money is no guarantee of anything as we learned the hard way under Keane and Jewell
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Michael11 added 16:09 - Jul 31 Has anyone been to the friendlies and seen him? Is he a creative attacking midfielder or more defensive?
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unknown100 added 16:10 - Jul 31 I think now he knows the players and has a year under his belt, if we are around or in the top 6 in january you will see him buy a player where we need it or sign a loan signing we still may get in just to go for a massive push, I think cardiff did it with frazer campbell and southampton with billy sharp, we nearly got to the play offs last year and with the new additions we should be better

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RedReidy added 16:46 - Jul 31 yessssssss very good news they are very good we r go up we r go up
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bohslegend added 16:50 - Jul 31 'Bru Moon' anyone?
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bohslegend added 16:53 - Jul 31 I dont think this is the end of our incoming players. Maybe the permanent ones yes, but I would expect one or two decent loans to come in still. As MM has been saying, the premier clubs are still training with the fringe players still involved, at least until they sort out their own transfer dealings. The team is taking great shape, the new season cannot come quick enough for me (would hate to be dreading it like some). COYB!

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Surco72 added 17:03 - Jul 31 We were not good enough last season for top six which is why we finished 9th , since we have lost a player who got over a third of assists to all of goals last season and our most creative attacking player isn't fully fit going into the season . Other teams have spent and are stronger , we have gambled on free unknowns to the championship not proven frees like Dids, Skuse , Berra to this level so the comparison is poor . SEB,Nolan,Taarabat ,Lambert ,Vydra ,Ings all cost money all Championship players of the year and one aside all got promotion . The teams that spend the most win , don't kid yourself that a few bad signings justify not spending . I believe we will be harder to beat again this season but not enough class to beat the big boys , mid table beckons without more signings proven at this level

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PhilTWTD added 17:08 - Jul 31 SouperJim I don't - and they don't tend to like to give too many details of these things - but would guess it's Town's option in these cases.
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NorseBlue added 17:45 - Jul 31 Fantastic news. A creative midfield player with a talent for opening up opposition defences and a huge centre-forward. Who would look a gift-horse in the mouth (well apart from several posters here it seems). Bru is also a set-piece expert, so that should help make up for the assists from Cresswell's boot from previous years. With Didz fit, Taylor playing better and Wordsworth scoring the odd goal, the addition of two wingers (Henshall and Stewart) makes our team a real force to be reckoned with. Really excited about this year for the first time in ages. COYB!

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GerkensBeard added 17:47 - Jul 31 Ings came through the academy, lambert had been at the saints for yonks and vydra was on loan. This guy has the potential to be a great signing as he is very technically gifted and likes to take the ball forward, whether he can adapt to the English game is the biggest thing
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Surco72 added 18:09 - Jul 31 Ings was signed from Bournemouth ? Lambert was signed the season before they went up from championship. How do all these posters know BB is suited to English football or that Bru is a set piece expert, how many assists or goals at this level or equivalent ?
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ericclacton added 18:17 - Jul 31 Kick the ball feetballers, roll on August 9, sez eye.
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 18:21 - Jul 31 Fancy a Bru?
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GerkensBeard added 18:26 - Jul 31 Ok my mistake he was signed from Bournemouth and was a gamble on a youngster for 1 million which paid off, Lambert was with the Saints for 2 years in league 1 I believe. You can't just say that the teams that spend money are the teams that go up, what about all the other teams that spend millions and end up mid table or even lower table. That is a big generalisation to make, you have to look at the fact McGoldrick would cost 2 million, Berra and Smith 1 million a piece, Parr 1 million, Stewart around 750 thousand, Skuse 500 thousand and we have got all them players for free or through the academy at the end of the day, and the two we have signed today are trialists, it's not like we just signed nobody's, they've been given their chance and have impressed in games and training, give them and give the team a chance before you write them off.

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carsey added 18:32 - Jul 31 A little under-whelmed by these 2 signings but since MM is paid to make these judgements I shall keep my fingers crossed. Spending big bucks is no guarantee. Look at Chelsea with Torres.
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Surco72 added 18:51 - Jul 31 Gerken I appreciate what you are saying but the facts are the teams that spend the most normally go up maybe with the odd exception. To even try to compete we need to add depth and experience at this level I do not believe we have done that Parr aside ? And to say Berra etc are worth so much why we're they free and why does nobody else bid for them ?
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blueherts added 19:13 - Jul 31 Lee Martin , Grant Leadbitter , Norwich buying Van Wolfswinkle ? I think some on here need to realise spending does not always mean success and this is a big season for MM and TC and I for one am pretty positive , more by the addition of Stewart and Henshall - couple of Frees - great - what would you rather ? Looking fwd to Fulham - that will be a good test - just concerned we are on Sky - never a good omen

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dirtyboy added 19:16 - Jul 31 Whatever way you look at it, without spending last year, we were not a million miles from the play offs and that was after losing McGoldrick. This squad has now had a good season of understanding each other and further cohesion within the group. McCarthy knows more than us, otherwise we'd be those making similar decisions. If these two signing are good enough for him, they're good enough for me and will get my support. I also think we'll weigh up options in January, if it's looking good, maybe one quality signing for the final push, but who knows.

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GerkensBeard added 19:24 - Jul 31 The teams that go up are normally the ones who spend the right money on the right players and normally takes them 2-3 seasons to get promoted, also the teams with the best team chemistry and understanding of each other. Ok Burnley spent 1 million on danny ings 3 years ago, other than that they hardly spent anything, Leicesters spending was over a few seasons and QPR are QPR. Teams like forest, Leeds, Bolton, Blackburn, Middlesbrough and a host of others who were mid table last season also spent millions. Admittedly we have a far better squad now than what we did when we were spending millions and everyone was believing we were going to get promoted because we signed chopra for 1 million that time. If you can get the right players with frees then I don't see what the problem is

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purplealien added 19:25 - Jul 31 Welcome Kevin! I hope your time here is very successful :-) I think we are starting this season with a stronger squad than last year, but so are a number of other clubs. On paper I see us finishing about the same as last year. However, the margins between success and failure are very fine, and I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be us that over achieves. We have a good Manager in MM, a really settled core to the squad, and excellent team spirit if reports are to be believed. You can be certain that not many clubs will fancy themselves to take 3 points at PR this season. If we have a good first half of the season I think we'll see Marcus splash out on a loan or two if we are there or thereabouts in the new year.

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