Boss Kieran McKenna says he believes striker George Hirst has room to improve and the ability to progress to the next level along with Town, the former loanee having completed a permanent move to the Blues from Leicester City yesterday.
The 24-year-old signed a four-year deal at Portman Road, the clubs having agreed an initial fee worth around £1.5 million with further cash due to the Foxes based on Hirst’s performances in the Championship and Premier League should the Blues win a second promotion.
Hirst was a big factor in Town's charge to second in League One last season, netting seven times in all competitions having signed on loan in January, and McKenna believes the one-time Sheffield Wednesday youngster has what it takes to succeed in the Championship.
"George made a really big impact for us in the second half of last season and showed why we were really keen to bring him to the Club over a couple of windows,” McKenna told the club site.
"But it wasn’t just about last season because we think he has room to improve and the ability to go to the next level with the team. That’s the challenge for George and also the challenge for the team now.
"He’s had quite a few loan moves and has done well with us and also with Portsmouth, but it becomes hard when you go on loans twice a season because it’s difficult to really settle.
"For a player to find a home and a base, where they feel like they can show their best football and develop both as a player and a man, is really important.
"He thinks this is the place for him to do that and we match up well, so we’re really pleased to have him here.”
McKenna says the frontman hasn’t joined up with the squad in Austria having picked up a knock in the final match of his loan spell last season.
He added: "He had an injury from the end of the season following the Fleetwood game so he’s not that long been back in training.
"He hasn’t missed too much but we’ll have to build him up because he’s a little bit behind the players who have been working really, really well for a few weeks now.
"But the good thing is he knows the players, knows the staff and understands the way we work, so that should make the integration that little bit quicker.”
Elsewhere, former Blues keeper Lewis Price has joined Oxford United as goalkeeper-coach, having previously been part of manager Liam Manning’s staff at MK Dons.
Another former Portman Road alumnus, James Krause, who was a member of the 2005 FA Youth Cup-winning team, joined the U’s as first-team coach analyst having been working at Arsenal for the previous eight years.