New striker Sam Parkin was paraded at a Portman Road press conference this lunchtime after completing his £450,000 move to the Blues. The former Swindon man has signed a four-year contract with Town.
Swindon have asked the Blues not to disclose the fee but TWTD understands that Town will pay the Robins £450,000 in two instalments, £300,000 now and £150,000 this time next year. Parkin's former club Chelsea will receive a sell-on percentage agreed when the striker moved to the County Ground in 2002.
Chairman David Sheepshanks introduced Town's second signing in two days, Joe Royle having returned to Majorca to continue his holiday: "This is a very special day for the club and we're very excited to have Sam here.
"We're signing a young player - he's 24-years-old - who has a tremendous scoring record. He's keen to move up and we're certainly keen that he carries on and fulfils his tremendous potential with us.
"I view the signing of Sam Parkin as a real coup for the club. It is a measure of the esteem in which both Joe Royle and indeed Ipswich Town are held.
"In recruiting Sam for a substantial fee we have stated our intention to be a very competitive force again next season, with a new talisman to lead the line.
"We were particularly keen to sign a younger player of Sam's proven ability but who already has potential to improve to the highest level, hopefully together with this club."
Royle said from his holiday home: "Sam has real talent, he can win a header but more than anything he can control the ball and keep the ball. He has a fantastic goalscoring record and has earned the right to step up to this division."
Parkin, who was also targeted by Norwich, Watford, Crewe and Brighton, says he thought carefully before choosing to join the Blues: "First and foremost, when I decided I was going to leave Swindon I wanted to go to the right club. I've had the opportunity to move on over the last few seasons but I wanted to wait until the summer when I could take time over my decision.
"As it was, Ipswich came into the race quite late but as soon as I heard of their interest they went to the top of my list. I'm very aware of the history and the heritage of the club and they've come very close in the last few seasons and my aim is to get them back into the Premier League.
"Having seen the facilities and met the manager, this club's geared for the Premier League. I was very impressed with the whole set-up, not just the stadium but the training facilities, and the manager was a big factor in me coming here as well.
"I'm delighted to be here and it's a perfect progression for me, a perfect platform for me, a bigger stage for me to step on to and I'm confident that with my ability the supporters will enjoy seeing me and the goals will continue to come."
The Roehampton-born player qualifies for Scotland through his mother and hopes to add to the one Scotland Future cap he won while at Swindon: "I've had a slight taste of that and had a brief conversation with Walter Smith during that call-up and the need for me to be playing at a higher level was apparent.
"Now I've got that opportunity, I'll take it with both hands and one day force my way into the full Scottish squad."
Parkin sees himself as a traditional English striker and appropriately has been handed the number nine shirt: "I'm in the old-style centre forward mould, so the temptation is to boot the ball up to me in the air.
"But I like to think I can play a bit on the floor and like to receive the ball with my back to goal, bring others into play and get at people at times. I think the players will understand after a while that I can play a little bit on the floor as well as being a good target in the box to get on the end of crosses."
Parkin, who developed under former Town coach Mick McGiven at Chelsea, met new striker partner Nicky Forster yesterday. The former Reading man will have the number eight shirt, with Darren Currie, the only member of the Town squad who Parkin already knew before his move, having claimed number 10 when he signed at the end of last year.
Contrary to our earlier report, Dean McDonald is yet to actually sign his one-year contract, although we understand that he will put pen to paper in the near future.
The Blues are also close to completing the season-long loan of Jimmy Juan from Monaco. The 22-year-old joined on a short-term deal in January but a foot injury prevented him from making his senior debut.