Striker Pablo Couñago has completed his return to Portman Road, signing a two-year contract which will be extended for a third season if the Blues are promoted back to the Premiership. The 27-year-old underwent a medical yesterday before putting pen to paper earlier today.
Chairman David Sheepshanks welcomed the Spaniard back to the club: "We are delighted to welcome Pablo back to this football club and all Town fans know that Pablo is a wonderfully talented player.
"Jim Magilton knows Pablo's strengths and weaknesses from playing alongside him and how to get the best out of him. His attitude towards returning has been thoroughly positive and he appears determined to make up for lost time."
Magilton says Couñago, released by Málaga after a two-year spell back in Spain, has the potential to go a very long way: "I have always looked at Pablo as a player with all the attributes to be top class. He enjoyed a good relationship with the fans of this club, but I don't think anyone really saw the best of Pablo in his first spell here.
"He has matured and comes back to us at a good age. He wants to come and play for me. He wants to come and play for the supporters and this football club. I think he feels he has a point to prove and he's determined to prove it."
TWTD first reported Jim Magilton's interest in bringing the 27-year-old back to Suffolk back in January, but at the time Málaga wanted a £130,000 fee, despite the former Celta Vigo man having only six months of his contract left to run. However, shortly after the close of the winter transfer window, the Blues boss said he could target his former team-mate in the summer when he would be available on a Bosman.
Reports in Spain last month indicated that the 2002/03 21-goal Town top scorer was keen to come back to the Blues and last weekend TWTD reported that boss Jim Magilton had spoken to his former team-mate regarding a return to Portman Road.
Couñago joined Málaga on a free transfer from Town in the summer of 2005 after making 69 starts and 52 sub appearances in his first four year spell in Suffolk, scoring 36 times.
The ex-Spanish U21 international had a difficult first season back in Spain with his side dropping out of La Liga, making 28 appearances and scoring three goals. Last season, in the Segunda División, the former Town number nine netted seven times in 27 games.
Couñago's 2005 release by Town followed a falling out with then boss Joe Royle, the Blues having spent his final season trying to off-load his wages which approached £20,000-a-week. The Spaniard's new deal is likely to be worth significantly lower than that figure.
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