Town have announced that the deal to land Blackburn’s Keith Andrews on loan has finally been completed. The 30-year-old joins until January with Rovers manager Steve Kean saying the move is with a view to a permanent switch.

Andrews told the club site: "I spoke to a couple of clubs but after speaking to the manager and the owner here, everything seemed right and it was an easy decision to make. It seems as if the club is going places and I think Ipswich is going to challenge in terms of promotion.

"With the facilities here and the backing the team has from the owner it made me have a really good feeling about this place and I'm looking forward to my time here."

Speaking yesterday, Blues boss Paul Jewell said he was pleased to finally be landing Andrews: “I’ve been really impressed with him when I’ve spoken to him. He scored 16 goals one year for the MK Dons when they got promoted.

“He’s played at this level, he’s played above the level, he’s played international football, but he was injured quite a bit last season and he’s hungry.

“He’s a leader and I’ve been really impressed by his determination to come to Ipswich. He could sit at Blackburn on a lot of money doing nothing.

“We’ve done well. Credit has to go to the owner because there’s been a lot of interest in Keith Andrews among Championship clubs and he’s chosen Ipswich. I’m delighted that he’s our player until at least January.”

Defensive midfielder Andrews began his career with Wolves, moving on loan to Oxford United, Stoke and Walsall before making a permanent switch to Hull City in 2005 when his contract at Molineux ran out.

After a just over a year with the Tigers, the Dubliner moved on to the MK Dons where he made his name playing under Paul Ince, the former England international taking him into the Premier League during his short spell in charge at Ewood Park for £1.3 million in the summer of 2008. The first of the 6ft tall midfielder’s 20 Irish caps - including two goals - followed soon after.

Last season Andrews made only three starts and three sub appearances for Rovers and his exit this summer has been on the cards for some while, despite him having a contract which takes him up to 2013. Leeds and Nottingham Forest were amongst the other clubs interested.

Earlier this week, a tabloid revealed that the details of Andrews’s Blackburn contract and those of some of his colleagues were outlined in a brochure the club was passing to agents.

According to the document, the midfielder is on £21,000-a-week, of which the Blues are likely to be paying only a proportion, plus an additional £2,000 for every Blackburn game he plays.

Andrews’s Rovers wage was due to increase with every five Premier League games he plays and he is due a further annual payment of £26,667.

His former club the MK Dons will receive 10% of any profit made on the £1.3 million Rovers paid for him if they were to sell him.

Andrews is likely to make his Town debut in Saturday's home game against his old club Hull City.

Photo: Action Images

rob_flecks_waistline added 07:49 - Aug 12 Do the business fella!
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BlueBoots added 07:55 - Aug 12 Brilliant news - we've been crying out for a proper midfield destroyer for ages (really should have landed Shaun Derry last summer). If we want the option to play 4-4-2 in matches, we've landed a player who'll protect the back 4 better than anyone we currently have in the squad. Welcome aboard, Keith
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bluelady added 07:55 - Aug 12 Should at least help our ailing defence! jewell talks of a natural leader so assume he has come in to be captain?
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GTRKing added 07:56 - Aug 12 awsome good luck prove us that your worthy of staying at town
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Lanky added 07:57 - Aug 12 Now for a centre back.
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Back_The_Boss added 08:04 - Aug 12 Good news, its a centre back that we need most now though.
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Blue_Fred added 08:06 - Aug 12 welcome Keith, hope you can earn yourself a permanent move in January!
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suffolkpoker added 08:08 - Aug 12 wow - that was quick!
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Sospiri added 08:15 - Aug 12 I think our first XI is up to scratch now. The worry is when someone gets injured. We don't have strength in depth. I think we need two more centre backs, and strong competition for places in the rest of defence - something I just don't think we have yet. Otherwise, I'm happy.
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das_bones added 08:27 - Aug 12 The dealings continue
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Vic added 08:30 - Aug 12 Another piece in the jigsaw completed. Nearly got all the outside done - just the centre back bit to fit in. I always start with the outside and then then fill in the middle. Often put pieces on the board and then move them around as it becaomes clear where they go. I reckon PJ can start to do that - any more signings will only strengthen the team and so we'll progressively get better - bit like Stoke in the Prem have done.

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icetruckiller added 08:48 - Aug 12 Sounds a great signing. Welcome aboard Keith.
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Karlosfandangal added 08:53 - Aug 12 In past posts a lot has been said about the age of our midfield and it not a midfield for the future, but it very rare these day for a player to stay at a club for more than a few years. The youngester that are coming through the ranks never seem to make it or we sell them or let them go for free. in 3 years time i will be very surprised if any of the players we have now will still be here even Chopra and Jet How many players have we brought in the last 5 years or even 3. Now there is a pub question

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LancsBlue added 08:58 - Aug 12 Good signing, well done to all concerned. If Leadbitter now goes, expect a more creative midfielder to now come in.
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saffronblue added 08:59 - Aug 12 Vic, very good actualy made laugh out loud, and as i have tonsollities that heart
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randomblue added 09:03 - Aug 12 Really pleased with this one - someone who can hopefully link the defence and midfield and allow the midfield to get forward! Think we've been needing this kind of a player for a long time. Kennedy is good as a stand in but PJ obviously wants an out and out defensive midfielder. I know we have Hyam but he is young and hopefully he now has a quality mentor!
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Special_A added 09:11 - Aug 12 Well down pj, clegg, marcus another good signing! Now for a CB!!! Then I will be happy, we can re-assess in Jan or get a cheeky loan in when the window closes!
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jas0999 added 09:26 - Aug 12 Certainly a good player. I wonder if Leadbitter will now be sold?
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nitroblue added 09:30 - Aug 12 Like this....i know e need a CB aut lets see how young Ainsley gets on over the next 2 games , I cant see Smith playing ahead of him unless he shows some of the World up form from 2010! ...if your good enough your old enough!
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ITFC4daprem added 09:41 - Aug 12 finally good luck, hope he does well COYB
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bobble added 09:45 - Aug 12 syill need another striker
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power19 added 09:56 - Aug 12 Welcome to ITFC Keith! Can anyone confirm whether our match away to Peterborough on 20th is live on Sky?
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wokingblue added 10:01 - Aug 12 Who said Clegg and Marcus couldn't do a deal? This proves that players just didn't want to play for and managers didn't want to do deals with Keane. Keep 'em coming PJ and crew!!
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Frase1987 added 10:33 - Aug 12 Every rovers fan I've spoken to either calls him average or bad. Havn't had much luck with the online fans either: http://www.blackburn.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=189178 I hope he does well for us though. Come on ITFC!
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bogstandard added 10:42 - Aug 12 Refreshing to see that premiership players will drop down to championship football and wont just sit on the bench and take the money. Well done to the current ITFC management team and the way that they are succeeding in making our club attractive to PL players, something which could not be achieved last season. Alot of knockers of Andrews so far on this site & how poor he was as a PL player. Give the bloke a fair crack .. we all know the massive divide between PL and Championship players and i for one think he will be a great aquisition to our club and suit the formation Jewell wants to play. Straight into tomorrows line up for me ... quality signing.

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