Town have confirmed the signing of right-back Darnell Furlong from West Bromwich Albion.
Earlier today, the clubs agreed a fee of £3.5 million plus a further £500,000 after promotion.
The 29-year-old, who travelled to Suffolk today to complete the formalities on the move, has signed a three-year deal with an option for a further season.
"It’s a real privilege to be here,” he told the club website. "I’ve had a look around and I’m really excited and intrigued by the ambition of the club, which is the main reason I wanted to come here.
"I’m looking forward to a new challenge and to kicking on and I can’t wait to get started. Ipswich is a club sending out a real signal of intent and to be a part of that is exciting.”
Furlong, who had a year left on his West Brom contract, came through the academy ranks at QPR, where his father Paul had been a player, and spent time on loan at Northampton, Cambridge United and Swindon while at Loftus Road.
In 2019, the Luton-born defender, who can also operate at left-back and in the centre of the defence, moved to the Hawthorns where he has made 227 starts and 20 sub appearances, scoring 11 times, and has also captained the side.
Town have been on the lookout for another full-back since left-back Conor Townsend, a former teammate of Furlong’s at West Brom, suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.
But the Blues would now appear to have a surfeit of right-backs with Ben Johnson having started all three league games, Ashley Young signed in the summer and Harry Clarke, whose knee injury is understood not to be as significant as was first feared, all in the squad.
The versatility of the primarily right-sided Furlong, Young and Johnson could be used as cover on the left, while Clarke, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Sheffield United, could again be sent out on loan, while there may also be interest in Johnson before the Monday 7pm deadline.
Furlong becomes the sixth ex-West Brom player at the club alongside Townsend, skipper Dara O’Shea, keepers Alex Palmer and David Button and central defender Cedric Kipre.
Like Blues youngster Ash Boatswain, Furlong qualifies to play international football for Montserrat but is yet to win a cap for the Caribbean nation.
Furlong, whose signing takes the players qualifying for the 25-man squad aged over 21 to 28, is the first of three players Town have been closing in on to be confirmed with deals to sign Norwich City midfielder Marcelino Nunez on a permanent basis and Como striker Iván Azón also near to being formalised.
The Blues are continuing discussions with FC Nordsjælland regarding the signing of 19-year-old Norwegian international forward Sindre Walle Egeli.