Midfielder Panutche Camara’s season-long loan to League One Charlton Athletic has been confirmed.
The 26-year-old, who joined the Blues for £500,000 from Plymouth on deadline day last summer, looked unlikely to play much of a role at Town in the season ahead spent much of 2022/23 on the sidelines, first with injury and then unable to break into the squad.
However, the Blues have included the provision for a January recall in the deal should they need him back at Portman Road, or perhaps to make a permanent move to the Addicks or elsewhere.
"First of all I would like to thank Charlton for the opportunity to join this football club. My conversations with the manager [Dean Holden] were very good,” he told the Addicks official website.
"He showed me the project and that’s why I signed. I can’t wait to start and meet the fans.”
Holden added: "Pan is an excellent addition as he offers us something different in the middle of the park. He’s a good ball carrier who plays with real dynamism and is equally adept in both his defensive and attacking responsibilities.
"He’s a player I’ve admired for a long time for his selfless attitude to do what’s required for the team and his willingness to leave absolutely everything out on the pitch. I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
Charlton CEO Peter Storrie continued: "Panutche is our fourth signing of the summer following the additions of Harry Isted, Lloyd Jones and Alfie May and, like those players, he has shown he is a very good player at this level.
"He is a player we’ve had our eye on for a while and there was interest from elsewhere in signing him, so I’m pleased he has chosen to join us. He gives us something different in midfield, which was important as we continue to build a squad that we believe can challenge for a top-six place this season.”
Camara, who was also understood to be interesting Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough United, played only one minute of league football for the Blues last season due to an adductor injury which required three operations.
Overall, the Guinea-Bissau international, who is contracted to Town until next summer with the club having an option for a further season, made only one start and three sub appearances while scoring his first goal for the club at Bracknell in the FA Cup.
Camara's departure comes as little surprise with manager Kieran McKenna having revealed after the recent friendly with Maidenhead United that a loan move had been discussed with the former Dulwich Hamlet man.
"Panutche, we spoke to in the summer,” he said. "We think as a football club it's going to be best for him to go on loan this season to get minutes having missed minutes last year. The first half of last season with injury but then in the second half of the season with other players coming in and doing really well.
"He's been training really well, is a top professional, is training really well but we have spoken to him earlier in the summer about going on loan this season, so he's in communication, we've had communication from some different clubs. That process is ongoing at the moment.”