Town have confirmed the return of Napoli midfielder Jens Cajuste on loan for a second season.
The 26-year-old spent a very successful spell with the Blues in 2024/25, becoming a firm fans’ favourite.
Town and the Serie A champions have agreed a loan fee of €1 million (£863,000) for the campaign ahead, as well as a €6.5 million (£5.6 million) permanent deal if the Blues are promoted back to the Premier League. A contract which runs to 2029 is understood to have been provisionally agreed.
"I’m really happy everything has fallen into place and I’m delighted to be back,” Cajuste, who will again wear the number 12 shirt, told the club website.
"I always had the ambition, going into the summer, that I would be excited to come back here and I’m really looking forward to getting started again with my teammates.
"Being at the club last season was one of the best experiences of my professional career, especially in terms of camaraderie and team spirit, as well as working under an incredible manager who I have the highest level of respect for.
"From what I have seen, the Championship is like war and one of the toughest leagues in the world, so that’s a challenge I am really getting started with.”
While the Blues were always keen to re-sign the Sweden international, for much of the summer it appeared his future lay elsewhere and a Town return an unlikely prospect.
Napoli agreed loan terms with Besiktas in Turkey with some reports claiming a medical had been pencilled in and the player set to travel to Istanbul.
However, the former Reims midfielder put that switch on hold while he assessed his options with Premier League Burnley having been very keen, while there were also links with other sides in Serie A and La Liga and Saudi Arabian club Neom made an approach just over a week ago.
The Blues, who even at that point appeared to be out of the running, look to have reinvigorated their interest after Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney turned down a move to Portman Road last weekend with the deal agreed earlier in this week and the finer details nailed down over the last couple of days.
The one-time Midtjylland man made 26 starts and seven sub appearances for the Blues during 2024/25, scoring once, and was beaten to the Supporters Player of the Year award by Liam Delap by only 36 votes.
We understand Cajuste’s registration was in time for him to be available for tomorrow night’s opening game at Birmingham City.