Town have completed the signing of striker Aaron Drinan from League of Ireland side Waterford. TWTD revealed that the Blues had agreed a deal to sign the 19-year-old in October with the switch rubber-stamped now that the January transfer window has opened and international clearance has come through.
Drinan, who will wear the number 26 shirt and is understood to have cost the Blues €100,000 (£90,000), has signed a contract which runs until the summer of 2021 and could make his debut in Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie against Sheffield United.
"It’s great and I’m buzzing to get going” Drinan told iFollow Ipswich. "Not being able to play was tough but I always knew the transfer would go through so I just kept my head down and worked hard.
"The manager has praised me in training so I hope I can take that out on to the pitch and impress him."
Last week, skipper Luke Chambers revealed the squad had nicknamed Drinan 'Murph' after Daryl Murphy, who Blues boss Mick McCarthy brought into English football from Waterford when Sunderland manager in 2005.
"They’ve started calling me Murph,” Drinan added. "That sort of thing helps and I’ve received a warm welcome from everyone here. I’m so glad to be a part of the set-up now and I’m ready to crack on.”
Speaking last week, McCarthy said he'd been impressed with Drinan and will consider him a first-teamer from the off: "Aaron’s been good, I’m really pleased with him.
"Oh yeah, I will do, certainly. He’s trained and he’s not looked out of place. He’s been really good.
"It's been frustrating for him that he couldn't play, of course. But he’s ready to go now, he’s been training all the time. But he’s not had any games, that’s his only problem, no game time.”
Drinan, who has won caps with the Republic of Ireland’s home-based U19s side, only joined Waterford from Cork City’s youth set-up in August and subsequently made four starts and one sub appearance, scoring once, as the Munster club carried off the League of Ireland First Division title and won promotion to the Premier Division.
Primarily a central striker but also able to operate on either the left or the right, Drinan played youth football with Cobh Ramblers and Carrigaline United prior to his spell with Cork.