Town have confirmed the signing of striker Leon Best on a one-year deal with an option for a further season. Yesterday, TWTD revealed that the 29-year-old was in talks with the Blues regarding a deal having caught manager Mick McCarthy's eye while on trial.

“Leon did well last week. I was impressed,” manager Mick McCarthy told the club website.

“He knows this league. He’s got that physical presence and he will add to the options we have got up front. We are delighted to have him here.”

Best spent time with hometown club Notts County as a youngster before moving to Southampton's youth set-up from the Magpies, his close friend David McGoldrick later making the same switch.

The pair were both in the Saints U18s side the Blues defeated in the 2005 FA Youth Cup final.

Best, who is 6ft 1in tall, subsequently moved on to QPR (loan), Sheffield Wednesday (three loans), Yeovil (loan), Bournemouth (loan), Coventry, Newcastle, Blackburn, Derby (loan) and Brighton (loan) before joining Rotherham in November 2015.

Last season he scored four goals in 10 starts and six sub appearances for the Millers and netted against the Blues in their 1-0 victory at Portman Road in March. Having been released by the South Yorkshire club at the end of 2015/16, he had been in talks with League One Port Vale.

He has won seven full Ireland caps in addition to making appearances at U17, U19 and U21 levels.

Best's recruitment is likely to be the start of a busy couple of days at Portman Road with the Blues looking to add to their squad before Wednesday's 11pm deadline.

Burnley's Michael Kightly is understood to be close to sealing a move, while Town are also keen on his Clarets team-mate Lukas Jutkiewicz as McCarthy looks to find a like-for-like replacement for Daryl Murphy, who joined Newcastle over the weekend.

Photos: Action Images/ITFC

runningout added 13:11 - Aug 30 even worse news for football, is it looks like the current men's England football captain isn't retiring from international football for a while
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Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 13:11 - Aug 30 Best is not young anymore - he's not going to improve much even with TC. But why moan? He's clearly going to be a back up option. He's experienced and may even be able to help out the younger players in the dressing room and training pitch. I don't think anyone in the club expects him to be the one to lead us to the promised land. So in short, relax.
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fabian_illness added 13:18 - Aug 30 I hope he does well. As others have said, when fit he's a solid performer at this level. Thinking back, I'd much prefer him to to sammon, n.hunt, nouble etc so a definite move in the right direction. Good luck.
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jpring89 added 13:20 - Aug 30 Hoping you can produce a Noel Hunt moment for us everyone slated him before signing and after scoring that 94th min winner at Charlton he was soon loved hope you can do the same.
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Surco72 added 13:24 - Aug 30 Last 8 seasons in championship level 87 games 10 goals a goal every 9 games , please stop calling him a goal scorer Tommy Smith has outscored him from centre back !! Kirbmeister ..... Rhodes , Nugent ,Lambert
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Thijssenstricks added 13:30 - Aug 30 Ok here goes! First of all I hope Leon Best does well for us and proves doubters wrong. If we're looking for a replacement for Murphy then why not try Cameron Jerome! Not sure that lot up the A140 would want to sell him. They have just got Nelson Olivveira in. Always been a handful to play against and has similar attributes to Murphy. I'm not usually a supporter of transfers between the two clubs but I think this one would work.

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Palestine added 13:32 - Aug 30 Am pleased to see this. Not overly exciting, but - like a few on here - I am actually quietly optimistic about this one. Let's hope we now bring in a couple more including a really promising striker - we have £3m - it should in theory be possible. It is hard to know if we / how we are progressing under MM, but when I see people remind of Sammon and Nouble I think 'Jeez, Best is a massive improvement! And we have added Pitman and Sears since too, so the quality of strikers is going up! A couple more and there is potential for this season to be more than just one long low-quality grinding out points. Fingers crossed!

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Radlett_blue added 13:33 - Aug 30 Well, he may be an upgrade on Varney.
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RYITFC added 13:35 - Aug 30 So if we land another forward, we'll have 6. Is that too many considering we've been playing with 1 up? 5 would be ample enough imo. A wide player is a priority, would also like another centre midfielder but would have to be better than what we have!
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FINIJIGEORGE added 13:37 - Aug 30 whats more boring, porridge without jam and sugar? or Ipswich signing Leon Best?
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bluearmy78 added 13:38 - Aug 30 If he stays fit I think he'll prove a big success, very direct & quick. I've also read today on an Arsenal site that AMN could be coming for the season, I'd try & sign him permanently as he's a good age & he's not going to feature much in the Arsenal side. Just a thought!
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Bergholtblue added 13:44 - Aug 30 If he doesn't get the service he won't get the goals. With the service our front line have been getting of late even Ibrahimovic wouldn't score. I'm glad to hear that he has pace and is direct, because he be playing up there by himself most of the match. So I do hope we land Kightly as well. With him and Ward we may start getting regular quality service into the box then the goals will come.

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GTRKing added 13:56 - Aug 30 Leon best is classed as a backup player but will score 5/10 goals for us (Hopefully), so Until he kicks a ball lets have faith in him... Looks like Mick is trying to get Knightly & Maybe Lukas Jutkiewicz (Replacing Murphy) Jutkiewicz hasn't scored many goals best tally is 11 in one season... ANM might come back to town hopefully better this time. this season our strikers should Aim for Pittman 15/20 goals Sears 10/15 goals Best 5/10 goals Jutkiewicz (If he signs) 10 goals hopefully more then let the Midfield/defenders score some goals so the target should be 60/80 goals that will put us in the playoffs so lets support who mick signs and back the team this season

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cats_whiskers added 13:57 - Aug 30 We do need a physical presence up front and he will offer that. He is just as capable of scoring what Murphy would have done this season possibly 12 goals! and remember we won't be losing him (unlike Murphy) for international matches and him returning jaded from that experience.
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Ferguson added 13:59 - Aug 30 Welcome Leon. Anybody remember seeing GEORGE Best in a Town shirt ? Sir Bobby's Testimonial in 1979. Google it. There's a great picture online and the shirt really suited him. For about 20 minutes I actually allowed myself to believe that we were going to sign him. TWTD indeed.
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vanmunt added 13:59 - Aug 30 @Radlet-blue Rolling on an orange as a replacement for Varney would be an improvement. Not sure why we have signed this guy to be honest, for every Ward or Mings we get a fair share of MM dross..
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IamSpartacus added 14:02 - Aug 30 Give the guy a chance to those already biting... jeez. Sure, his record isn't eye watering but nor was Murphy's. As for those that use Newcastle as an example... they have actually spent £7mil less than they have made on transfers... but don't let facts get in the way of nonsense comment.
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horsehollerer added 14:14 - Aug 30 Well done Mick. Welcome Leon. Ignore the spunk trumpets on here.
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parkinshair added 14:22 - Aug 30 People moaned about Kuqi, Lee, Stead. All strikers that proved their worth whilst wetting their knickers over Chopra. Don't write him off. I think Leon Best is a smart move. He will prove more than a few people wrong. Welcome aboard.
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Lightningboy added 14:26 - Aug 30 Only time will tell I guess...let's hope he's more Murphy than Sammon. Still think Sears & Pitman will & should be our first choice strikers.
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Keaneish added 14:32 - Aug 30 I'd like to hear about more on MM's thoughts about this signing and i'd really like to know where he fits into the squad spectrum alongside Varney and Pitman. He's definitely no McGoldrick, Sears or possibly Jutkiewicz if he comes... Interesting signing. Hoping he's not just a squad filler ala Toure and Coke and he has something to add. Like many others, he doesn't inspire me and with a track record of injuries its a bit of a risk. Always need to question a journeyman's temperament in my opinion. Lets see...

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Marcus added 14:39 - Aug 30 I think he's more likely the cover from the pending replacement for Murphy than the replacement. Of course if the other deal collapses then we can hope he lives to his potential. From his record he's been a bit unpredictable but has a lot of potential with some concerns about his attitude - but McCarthy is a good judge of character and feels he can work with him and that's enough for me. For a freebie who's had a declining career from a successful start he could go either way - still not much would be lost if he doesn't make it and if he does then a few on here will be 'forgetting' what they're saying now. Maybe he'll be the Best signing of the year? **gets coat**

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bellazzurri79 added 14:58 - Aug 30 Im afraid this sums him up Best who is 6ft 1in tall, subsequently moved on to QPR (loan), Sheffield Wednesday (three loans), Yeovil (loan), Bournemouth (loan), Coventry, Newcastle, Blackburn, Derby (loan) and Brighton (loan) before joining Rotherham in November 2015. He has had more loans than a bank!!!!
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Lukeybluey added 14:59 - Aug 30 All the best!
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tractorboybig added 15:13 - Aug 30 another coke , what a joke club this is becoming//
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