New loan signing Callum Connolly says he hopes joining Blues will benefit him more than staying with his parent club Everton and playing in their U23s side.
The 19-year-old right-back, who has been given the number 16 shirt and can also operate as a left-sided full-back and at centre-half, joined the Blues on loan for the season in the final hours of the transfer window.
"I got the call on the Thursday night, but I knew Ipswich had been interested for the past couple of weeks," he told iFollow Ipswich.
"The gaffer spoke to me and straight away I thought it would be a good move for me.
"My aim always was to go on loan and develop myself more, so I hope that potentially playing every Saturday and Tuesday will benefit me more than playing U23s football at Everton.
🎥 | @Callum1Connolly tells us what @Everton are expecting of him, and admits he spoke to a few familiar faces before making the move #itfc pic.twitter.com/qVmZvGFYYK
— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) September 4, 2017
"Everton wanted me to go out on loan to develop as a player and as a man. It will be tough moving away from my family for a while but I want to stake a claim in the team and help move the club in the right direction.”
Liverpool-born Connolly, who has won England caps at U17, U18, U19 and U20 levels, came through the youth system at Everton, with whom he has made one Premier League sub appearance, and has previously spent time on loan at Barnsley and Wigan.
Having made three starts for the Tykes during a month-long spell towards the end of 2015/16, he spent the second half of last season with the Latics, making 15 starts and three sub appearances, scoring twice.
In the summer he was with the England U20s squad as they won their World Cup in South Korea, making appearances in two of the Young Lions' early games.