Town have confirmed the signing of Jack Taylor from Peterborough United for a fee of just under £1.5 million, as revealed by TWTD earlier this evening.
Taylor, who has signed a three-year deal, was at the club this afternoon to undergo a medical.
"I’m over the moon to sign here,” Taylor told the club site. "I’ve spoken to the manager [Kieran McKenna] on numerous occasions and I’ve not heard a bad word about him. I think the style of play really suits my game and I can’t wait to get the ball rolling.”
McKenna added: "We’re delighted to have Jack in and he is a player who fits the culture we’re continuing to build here.”
"He is hungry and wants to improve and he will bring qualities that add to the group.”
CEO Mark Ashton said: "It’s fantastic to finally have Jack’s signature. We have had to be patient and I am grateful to everyone involved to finally get a top, top player across the line.”
Posh manager Darren Ferguson told his club's official website: "I felt that Jack would be the first to depart given how good a player he is and the interest that there was.
"We signed him from Barnet and he has developed into the player that I thought he would. Working with him over the last five months after coming back to the club, I think he has produced his strongest form.
"He has been outstanding, he is going to a very good club and I feel it is the right time for him to go, he has earned the move.
"I have a good relationship with him, I have spoken to him a few times over the summer and we wish him nothing but the best.
"He has been a great servant for us and nobody can argue that he was a good signing for us — he was an excellent one.
"Once the right offer was received, we didn’t want to stand in his way. I am sure he will go on and do very well.”
Taylor, Town's first signing of the summer, was first targeted by the Blues last summer and then again in January.
Negotiations were revived this summer but with Town eventually becoming frustrated at the lack of progress and, as reported last week, turning their attention to other options, including Derby County’s Jason Knight.
However, the two parties finally came to an agreement over the weekend with the fee initially just under £1.5 million but with the Blues due to pay a small additional sum should they reach the Premier League. A number of other Championship clubs were also understood to have shown interest.
Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony revealed in March that Town had made four bids for Taylor during the January window, the last almost £2 million.
Versatile 6ft 1in tall midfielder Taylor, who spent seven years with Chelsea’s academy, joined Posh for an initial £500,000 from Barnet, where he had made his senior debut as a 15-year-old, in January 2020 with that fee likely to have increased towards £1 million with top-ups.
Hammersmith-born Taylor, who had another year left on his Peterborough contract, made a total of 130 starts and eight sub appearances for Posh, scoring 22 times.
Last term, he netted 10 times in 50 starts and two sub appearances as Peterborough finished sixth in League One before losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off semi-final.
Taylor, who spent time on loan at Hampton and Richmond while with the Bees, qualifies for the Republic of Ireland via his grandfather and was in Stephen Kenny’s squad earlier this month but is yet to win a full cap having appeared seven times at U21 level.
The signing of Taylor will add to the competition in the centre of midfield with skipper Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo having been regulars as the Blues powered their way to promotion.
Lee Evans was a key man earlier in the season and youngster Cameron Humphreys made his breakthrough into the first team last term, while Dominic Ball and Panutche Camara’s first campaigns with the club were hampered by injury. Rekeem Harper and Idris El Mizouni look set to move on this summer.