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Best Joins Blues - Ipswich Town News

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.

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