Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra has completed his £1.5 million move to the Blues, signing a three-year deal.

The 27-year-old, whose fee is officially undisclosed, says he sees joining the Town as a new challenge: "I enjoyed my time at Cardiff but this is a new start for me at Ipswich and I'm looking forward to it.

"I spoke to the manager and was impressed with his plans for the club. I know some of the players here as well and from talking to them, it was clear there is real ambition at Ipswich.

"I can't wait to get going and the target is to help the club reach the Premier League."

Boss Paul Jewell added: "Michael is a top quality striker who has a terrific goals to games ratio.

"He is a clever player with good pace and has a proven track record when it comes to putting the ball in the net.

"He's ambitious and so are we. He's the type of player we are looking for to help take us forward. He will bring proven quality to the squad and I'm delighted to have him at the club."

Chief executive Simon Clegg is pleased to have completed the club's first signing of the summer: "We're obviously delighted to have added Michael to the squad. It's a signing that I'm sure will excite our supporters."

His Cardiff counterpart Gethin Jenkins paid tribute to Chopra's time with the Bluebirds: "I would like to put on record our thanks and best wishes for Michael and his future career. He has provided us with some fond memories and goals, but it's understandable that he seeks a fresh challenge.

"We now continue the process of securing a manager and a squad to challenge in the Championship next season and will look forward to seeing both Michael and Ipswich at Cardiff City Stadium and Portman Road during the 2011/12 campaign."

As first revealed by TWTD, Chopra was at Town yesterday for talks and to undergo a medical with the negotiations being concluded earlier today. With the player understood to have returned home and with Jewell and Clegg both away from the club at present, no press conference is planned for today.

Town, who previously targeted the former Sunderland and Newcastle man during Roy Keane’s time in charge, are understood to have turned their attention back to Chopra late last month after having a £2.3 million offer for Doncaster striker Billy Sharp turned down.

An initial offer of £1 million was turned down by the managerless Welsh club but a subsequent £1.5 million bid was accepted by the play-off semi-finalists.

A one-time trainee at his hometown club Newcastle, Chopra, who qualifies to play for India via his father, scored 11 goals in 28 starts and 11 sub appearances for Cardiff during 2010/11, despite being in and out of the side due to injuries.

Overall, Chopra, who also had loan spells with Watford, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley before joining Cardiff for the first time from the Magpies for £500,000 in June 2006, has scored 65 goals in 142 starts and 20 sub appearances over his two permanent spells and two periods on loan with the Welsh side.

In July 2007 the 5ft 9in tall frontman joined Roy Keane's Premier League Sunderland for £5 million, rejoining Cardiff permanently for £4 million two years later after successful spells on loan in the second half of 2008/09.

Photo: ITFC

Photo: Action Images

blueflo1 added 16:46 - Jun 10 get in there brilliant singing just hope now we can get the other targets we need pj is our man
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CleggsClangers added 16:52 - Jun 10 Come on phil give us another link. It's all getting exciting!
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Strider added 16:52 - Jun 10 At last, we get a deal right. PJ obviously better at attracting players and controlling Clegg. Can't wait to see us play 4-4-2 with Chops and Wickham up front. Funny too how we got such a good price when RK was punting £3.5m?!?! This could be a good summer for once
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GeorgiDoundarov added 16:53 - Jun 10 I am very very happy to read this! Finally we got a quality player and a very good striker too. Not only on our level bit at PM too. We should be getting players like Chopra who can help us go up but also who can keep us up. I would be delighted to get another one like him - Nugent will be perfect and for no fee too. We need replacement for McAuley - StLedger will be great and another defender. Then we need two quality midfielders. If we get all these I will be sure we are going in the right direction finally! Good luck PJ and WELCOME CHOPS!!!

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DiamondGezzer added 16:59 - Jun 10 Well done to all at town for making this happen. I can't believe there are still doom and gloom merchants still having a pop. If we don't get someone in you moan [ nobody wants to come to us ], when we get someone in you moan [ injury prone - as if no other player ever gets injured ]. Thank God I don't have to go for a drink with you guys, I'd end up with a noose round my neck. Don't bother saying I should have a noose round my neck, my wife beat you to it. What's happened about Ingimarsson Phil, any word ?

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ipswich85 added 16:59 - Jun 10 Now for ingimarsson to sign
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StowTractorBoy added 17:02 - Jun 10 According to Cardiff forums Chops need to lose a bit of weight in the close season and I am sure Gomez will work on that. Chuffed we have got him but now need personnel who will provide him and Connor with the service they need to score goals. Bullard is a pipedream but who knows. We also need some pace on the flanks. Being greedy would like further signings in the shape of Ingimarsson, Pearce from Bournemouth whom I rate highly. Cresswell from Tranmere is on PJs radar and the pundits on Merseyside rate him highly. Green from Dag & Red also in the frame and worth a punt. Not keen on St. Ledger not tall enough and too slow but PJ knows best so we will go with it. Good luck Chops and welcome to ITFC.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:03 - Jun 10 PJ is the man!
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Loyal_S added 17:03 - Jun 10 Welcome To Ipswich Michael! What's that coming over the hill ? Its Michael Chopra, Its Michael Chopra!!!
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TrueBlue1983 added 17:05 - Jun 10 See what happens when Clegg is out of the country.... We finally complete a transfer. Chopra is a good signing but im not sure he will get us 20 goals a season. Onwards and upwards..... lets sign more players and leave Clegg out!!!!
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larchblue added 17:06 - Jun 10 The pitch looks amazing. Well done Mr Ferguson.
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JBITFC added 17:12 - Jun 10 Absolutely loving this signing but let's not get carried away, we still need a few more quality players to follow. Hopefully having chops here will help with that, finally things could start looking up again for the MIGHTY TOWN!
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Mark added 17:17 - Jun 10 Fantastic news, when was the last time we had such an exciting signing? I can't think of one under Keane and Magilton, and Royle had no money to spend, so I think you'd have to go back to Burley's day!
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ElvisMariner added 17:18 - Jun 10 YEEEEEEESSSSSSSS
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CleggsClangers added 17:18 - Jun 10 Being reported on preston local rag that another departure is likely early next week. With St. Ledger being tipped to move to us. No wonder there's a water shotage Larch!!
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wellasahsay added 17:19 - Jun 10 Get in!!!!!
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townietilidie added 17:19 - Jun 10 Great signing Pj and team , give him the service and he will score goals .I know there are a few concerns about his off field antics but the quiet suffolk life could be just what he and his family need to sort this out . Another 4 - 5 wrapped up by the end of next week would be lovely
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tractaboy added 17:19 - Jun 10 Brilliant! Most excited I've been about a signing for a long time! Hope he can live up to the hype here but we all know he good he can be. Hope this helps persuade a few other signatures this way. Still think we need a midfielder or 2 to get that ammo in, but to be fair, it wasn't lack of chances last year that was the problem. And I hate to say it, but that is the new shirt he's got and not the old stripey one. COYB!

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brogansnose added 17:19 - Jun 10 Was starting to swear on this one but good news. Wellcome to PR Mr Chopra and i hope that you have the best days of your career here. Nice comment from the Cardiff exec too. Now get a creative midfielder to supply him.
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blue added 17:19 - Jun 10 Scotland for swansea was good and priskin watford b4 we had them hope he proves himself !!!
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broomfield123 added 17:23 - Jun 10 Cleggy your a genius now same again please with some other players
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StochesStotasBlewe added 17:27 - Jun 10 Welcome to Ipswich Mr Chopra. I,m well chuffed with this signing, we ALL should be. Now we just need to sign Reggie back for a Lambe/Chops strike force.
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foster added 17:29 - Jun 10 yes! now for the rest new keeper ,complete new back 4,winger and centre mid,1 more quality striker and 1 on loan for a bit of cover coyb!
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Suffolk_n_Good added 17:29 - Jun 10 Can only repeat nearly every other post!! The most exciting signing in years!! Welcome Chops, I'm sure you will fit in nicely. I too was beginning to get a little edgey with the time this seemed to be taking, but delighted now. Bring on another 6,7 or 8 more "quality" signings please ITFC!!
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Blueboy added 17:34 - Jun 10 Welcome aboard Mr Chopra! Let's hope you score bagloads of goals!!
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