Trialist Ibrahima Sonko is understood to be close to joining the Blues on a one-year deal having impressed in yesterday's behind-closed-doors reserves friendly against Colchester. TWTD was first to reveal that the 30-year-old Senegalese international was on trial at Portman Road.
The former Reading and Stoke man is set to become Town's ninth signing of the summer today or probably tomorrow and would appear certain to make his debut in Saturday's home game against Leeds.
Tweeting yesterday, Sonko felt he had put in a decent performance against the U's: "Game went well. Now I do not know what's going to happen, we can just wait and cross fingers that everyone [is] happy like I am.”
It was another of Sonko's tweets a fortnight ago which first revealed the possibility of him moving to Town: "It looks like I could meet with my friend Ãvar [Ingimarsson] again soon instead [of rejoining Reading].”
Born in Bignona, Senegal but having moved to France as a baby, Sonko began his career with Town’s old UEFA Cup foes St Etienne, moving on to Grenoble, where he made his first senior appearances, in 1999.
Three years later he joined Brentford, the 6ft 3in tall defender spending two seasons at Griffin Park before joining Reading on a Bosman in 2004.
Capped four times by Senegal, scoring one goal, Sonko, whose cousin is Arsenal's Bacary Sagna, became a cult hero at the Madejski Stadium and acquired the nickname ‘Superman’ for his exceptional leaping ability as he helped Steve Coppell’s side into the Premier League.
Stoke paid an initial £2 million for his services in August 2008 but his time at the Britannia Stadium was less successful. Loans at Hull City and Portsmouth followed, before he was released at the end of last season.
Sonko rejoined Reading on trial this summer and played in a number of pre-season games but talks broke down, with his old club only willing to offer a deal which equated to a 90% pay cut with the player only willing to take a drop of 75%.