Town have completed the signing of Accrington Stanley centre-half Cameron Burgess.
Burgess, 25, who is the Blues’ 15th addition of the summer, has penned a three-year deal with an option for a further season for a fee understood to be £750,000.
"I am so pleased to be here,” Burgess told iFollow Ipswich. "This is a really good step up for me so I’m just looking forward to working hard and getting started.
"This is a talented squad and I am excited to work with the group. I will work hard, roll my sleeves up and get stuck in.
"I saw there were more than 20,000 fans at Portman Road for the first game of the season, so I cannot wait to experience that myself.”
Quizzed on what he will bring to the side, he added: "Hopefully a bit of leadership, communication and organising.
"It’s a talented group of lads, there’s no denying that, so hopefully I can help drive the standards; work hard, roll our sleeves up and try and put in some good performances.
"I'm delighted. It's such an honour to be at such a massive club. Yesterday [Friday], I was preparing for a different game and now I’m stood here so it’s a bit of surprise but I’m buzzing to be here.
"It ended up happening quicker than what I thought it would which is a good thing.
"I don’t think anyone could turn it down in my position and many other positions as well. It’s a bit of a dream come true to progress, be at such a massive club and hopefully be part of some good things.”
Burgess says Town's home ground already had a special place in his career: "I have a bit of affinity with the place already, I made my professional debut at Portman Road. I think it was when we got relegated to the Championship with Fulham
"It was a [Saturday] night on Sky [on the opening day of 2014/15 which the Blues won 2-1]. I played as a defensive midfielder that night which was a bit of a strange one for me. It was an unbelievable experience and I can’t wait to experience it more.”
Town boss Paul Cook added: "Cameron brings great balance and experience to the team.
"He’s another player at a really good age and it makes competition in the backline really strong.
"Again I want to thank the owners and Mark Ashton [CEO] for helping us get this sorted.”
Aberdeen-born Burgess, who can also play at left-back, was a youth player with Celtic, ECU Joondalup in Perth Australia and Fulham before breaking into the Cottagers side for that August 2014 game against Town.
While a Fulham player, 6ft 4in tall Burgess spent time on loan at Ross County, Cheltenham. Oldham and Bury before joining Scunthorpe in 2017.
A spell on loan at Salford followed before he moved on to Accrington in August 2020.
Having won caps at U18 and U19 levels with Scotland, he switched his international allegiance to Australia and has played for their U20s and U23s, his family having emigrated to Perth, Western Australia when he was 11 during his father Stuart's playing career.