New Blues loan signing Cédric Kipré has revealed the role his close friend and former Wigan teammate Sam Morsy played in his move to the Blues from Reims.
Kipré’s season-long switch to Town from Reims, who were relegated to Ligue 2 last season, was confirmed earlier this afternoon.
Reims have confirmed there is an option to buy at the end of the season, according to French media reports for €4.5 million (£3.9 million) should the Blues return to the Premier League.
"I’m very happy to be here, it feels great to finally be part of this big club. I’m buzzing to be here,” the 28-year-old told TownTV.
Kipré is delighted to be back in the Championship where he has made 174 appearances across spells with the Latics, West Brom and Cardiff, where he had a stint on loan.
"Firstly, I was in France last season in a good league but I know the Championship very well, I’ve had many years here and I love the league,” he added.
"When I heard that Ipswich were interested, of course, it’s appealing because they did great in the season when I was in the Champ [with West Brom], they went up and they did a good job in the Premier League also, unfortunately they went down. The main goal is to go back up.
"When you tell a player that the goal is to go in the Premier League, it’s going to be appeal, so this is why I’m here.
"I’ve a few friends who play for the club, so last season when you guys were in the Premier League, I saw some games when I had time. Because of my friends playing here, I have to follow.”
The Paris-born central defender, who is right-footed but often operates on the left, knows plenty of current members of the Town squad having played with Alex Palmer, Dara O’Shea, Conor Townsend and recent addition David Button at West Brom, Sam Morsy and Christian Walton at Wigan and Jaden Philogene at Cardiff, where Blues set-piece coach Mark Hudson was manager.
"There are many players I know, so it’s going to be very easy to settle in and that helps,” he said.
"I spoke a lot with Sam [before making the move], he’s a good friend of mine. I’ve known him since I was at Wigan and he’s always been like another mentor to me since I first got to Wigan.
"All these years, we’ve kept in touch, seen each other and when he knew that Ipswich were interested in me, he called me straight away and talked to me about the club.
"I asked him many, many questions and he told me only great things about the people, especially the people in the club and for me it was an easy choice.
"He only said great things and things that motivated me to come here, so it was an easy decision really.
"Also I spoke with the manager [Kieran McKenna] and he made me want to come also with the stuff that he said and the way he wants to work. I really liked it so I’m looking forward to it.
"Everything he said to me was very clear. He wants to work hard, I like to work hard also and the way he told me he wants to play suits me, so I think it’s going to be a good season.”
Asked what sort of player Town fans can expect to see, he added: "I don’t really like to speak about myself, but I would say I’m quite strong, aggressive and I think everywhere I’ve been the fans liked me because I give everything on the pitch, I give everything for the club, I give 100 per cent on the pitch and I’d say this is my strength.”
Quizzed on what it is he liked about the Championship, Kipré, who won his first full cap with the Ivory Coast over the summer, smiled: "The contact! The contact, the intensity and the passion from the fans also. It’s very different from France and I prefer the passion here.”