Trialist Ibrahima Sonko is understood to be close to joining the Blues on a one-year deal having impressed in yesterday's behind-closed-doors reserves friendly against Colchester. TWTD was first to reveal that the 30-year-old Senegalese international was on trial at Portman Road.

The former Reading and Stoke man is set to become Town's ninth signing of the summer today or probably tomorrow and would appear certain to make his debut in Saturday's home game against Leeds.

Tweeting yesterday, Sonko felt he had put in a decent performance against the U's: “Game went well. Now I do not know what's going to happen, we can just wait and cross fingers that everyone [is] happy like I am.”

It was another of Sonko's tweets a fortnight ago which first revealed the possibility of him moving to Town: "It looks like I could meet with my friend Ívar [Ingimarsson] again soon instead [of rejoining Reading].”

Born in Bignona, Senegal but having moved to France as a baby, Sonko began his career with Town’s old UEFA Cup foes St Etienne, moving on to Grenoble, where he made his first senior appearances, in 1999.

Three years later he joined Brentford, the 6ft 3in tall defender spending two seasons at Griffin Park before joining Reading on a Bosman in 2004.

Capped four times by Senegal, scoring one goal, Sonko, whose cousin is Arsenal's Bacary Sagna, became a cult hero at the Madejski Stadium and acquired the nickname ‘Superman’ for his exceptional leaping ability as he helped Steve Coppell’s side into the Premier League.

Stoke paid an initial £2 million for his services in August 2008 but his time at the Britannia Stadium was less successful. Loans at Hull City and Portsmouth followed, before he was released at the end of last season.

Sonko rejoined Reading on trial this summer and played in a number of pre-season games but talks broke down, with his old club only willing to offer a deal which equated to a 90% pay cut with the player only willing to take a drop of 75%.

Photo: Action Images

TrumptonBlue added 16:43 - Aug 24 Excellent point, John.
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TractorBeezer added 16:44 - Aug 24 Ingy was probably consulted and he has played next to Sonko at the back. That's a much more reliable source of information than mates at other clubs I would say. After Saturday it's very tempting to knock everything but it really doesn't help does it? Let's give Sonko a great welcome!
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NorseBlue added 16:46 - Aug 24 Thanks Topps. It's not exactly 'research' - it's a cutting and pasting from a couple of websites to 'back-up' an incredibly negative view. ALL of the players we're targeting from the Prem will either be OLD or have 'failed' in some way. Andrews was not 'liked' at Blackburn and fell out with the management, having played very few games. He's scored twice already and looks like a great signing. Bullard had done nothing at Hull in two years. He signs for us, lifts the whole dressing room, scores 5 and sets up a few more. I could go on and on....

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UsualSuspect added 16:46 - Aug 24 You must have a guilty conscience Topps! Just expressing my opinion, after all I am entitled to it as are you. Seems to me you'd hung drawn and quartered him before he'd even pulled the shirt on, no in fact before he'd even signed a contract. What exactly do you mean when you refer to people like me Topps? Just for the record I feel it's people like you who contribute to the bad atmosphere in and around the club, if not at least on this site, of course this is only my opinion.

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John added 16:52 - Aug 24 Just trying to stay positive trumpton. He's got the right sort of name and from what (little) i know of his playing style all the attributes to be a cult hero on the terraces (do they exist anymore!!).
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wokingblue added 16:52 - Aug 24 Not filled with excitement but hope I'm proved wrong. Mate of mine is a Reading season ticket holder and I quote "...... Ivor only managed 12 games in the last two seasons with us and Sonko's never been the same since his knee injury" Oh dear!!
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richnblue added 16:56 - Aug 24 I can understand PJ frustration, however not so sure about this monkey.. Saw him do the drogba dive on numerous occasions for Reading not impressed. Would it not be worth looking at the lower divisions and building a team that we all respect because they play the Ipswich way and want to pull a blue shirt on each week. Just try it PJ it may just bloody work, just try it.....any one??

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muhrensleftfoot added 17:02 - Aug 24 I'm sure this was a desperate signing, as no one else available. Nevertheless he was in the Reading side which won promotion. He's the only fit right footed centre back we've got, so we've got to give the man a chance. I think he'll turn out alright
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whiskey added 17:02 - Aug 24 sounds a bit of a fairy, all these tweets are so effete, we need a man's man to lead our boys delaney and smith who are waaaay too light in their loafers while ingression is recovering from his latest nerve twitch, *buuuurp*. why tweet? it's such a display of narcissism, you're all sad tweeters, please stop, nobody cares except your mum who doesn't really care in the way you want her to. delete your tweet account pal.

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fourth added 17:03 - Aug 24 I believe (but don't know) that PJ can pull it all together and motivate a disparate bunch of talented players, some of whom are not quite fit enough and many having a limited idea of their role and as they say in France the "automatismes" where there are a whole set of practised team moves that become automatic. Which are not in place yet.
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Jack_hughes2 added 17:08 - Aug 24 give the bloke a chance, him and ingamarsson were outstanding in the premiership for reading, perhaps they compliment each other? Give him a chance, he is definitely a panic sign, BUT, a lot better than smith. I think he's the type of player that we need who will get stuck in, make the nitty gritty challenges and break up play!
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dubblue added 17:09 - Aug 24 Oh how I miss Titus Bramble! Not sure about this guy, having conceded 21 in our last 2 games (exaggeration for emphasis!!) there might be a tendency to say any signing can only improve things, I would like to think we have more ambition than that. Anyways here's hoping my visit next Satursday won't be disappointing. COYB
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Mark added 17:25 - Aug 24 According to the Sun, Sonko was on £19,454 at Stoke. Reports say he was willing to take a 75% pay cut to join Reading, so I guess we'll pay him about £5K-a-week for the next 10 months. That's about £200K, so hardly a gamble is it? We COULD NOT go into Saturday's match against Leeds with Ainsley at centre-back again to repeat the Peterborough disaster. Hopefully we will sign another centre back too, but Sonko is still well worth having as a squad member I'd say as defensive cover. So, welcome Ibrahima.

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h32 added 17:30 - Aug 24 Just shows how desperate the Club has become - and how naive some supporters are. Sonko is another player who will not be up to the task - and to think we have let youngsters leave i.e Troy Brown, who was only ever going to improve a a player. The Club has lost it's way completely I'm afraid, in the hands of non Football people.
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h32 added 17:33 - Aug 24 .... missed the 's' out of 'as' a player - before someone points it out.
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jas0999 added 17:36 - Aug 24 I am sorry, but I don't rate this guy. Clearly it's a desperate situation at PR at the moment - caused by PJ and Cleggs failure to address the situation 5 or 6 weeks ago. This smacks of panic and is yet again another freebie, for a player who is yet another journeyman and in his 30's. However, I wish him well. Granted he is better than Smith, but that's not difficult. Let's hope he is a) physically fit and b) MATCH fit - which considering the season is weeks old - I doubt. P.S - for those who keep saying 'stop moaning' and 'clear off': 1) people are entitled to their opinion and if they don't rate Sonko then fair enough - just accept their opinion as they accept yours b) since PJ has been in charge at the club attendances have rapidly declined - the club can ill afford for more people to 'clear off' 3. After 7 defeats in the last 9; conceeding 5 twice, 4 twice and now a 7 - plus defeat at Home to Northampton - I think people are very justified to moan and frankly be concerned.

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lennoxm2b added 17:42 - Aug 24 http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-transfer-list Your telling me that there is no one in this list you wouldn't sign up if you were Paul Jewell. the goals we have been conceding suggest anyone in defence with a heart beat would be better than what we have now, LOOK AT THE LIST JEWELL!! TAKE YOUR PICK! ANY ONE! PLEASE!
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MickMillsTash added 17:52 - Aug 24 He has to be bad not to get a good run in the current side- maybe a few games is what he needs to get him back to the form of a £2million man. Worcester Blue- I've seen enough football in my life to know that O'Connor, Peters, and Drury are not a solution to our crisis and I suspect that Carson will not be either,
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ramseyn added 17:54 - Aug 24 Can't believe how misinformed / stupid some people on here are. Please get your facts right before commenting. Troy brown decided for himself to leave, the club wanted him to stay. So he decided to leave, not the club. Someone else said PJ decided that Delaney and smith were better to keep than mac and Norris. Again not true, PJ wanted both of them to stay, they wanted longer contracts, not PJ's decision.

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ipswichtown28 added 17:55 - Aug 24 I think most of you need to stop moaning and realise that we are not a force in the championship, just because Ipswich is a big club it doesn't mean we should be expecting to beat any team especially the newly promoted teams. Yes we should not be getting beat the way we have been, it's not acceptable but we are at very best an average mid table team. Jewell needs a few seasons to get the team that he wants and can pus h for promotion, it will take time. There are 2 many players that don't give a sh#t at this club and are not puting their bodies on the line and not putting the effort in! We also have a few players that simply aint good enough at this level! Sonko appears to really want to play for Ipswich and he will want to prove people wrong and I can tell u know he will be giving 110% in an Ipswich shirts give him a chance!!!

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SE1_ITFC added 17:56 - Aug 24 Typically positive - he can't be worse than what we've already got. COYB
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ITFCMonk added 18:00 - Aug 24 Get in! just what i wanted and hes what we need!
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GetInTheGameScowcrof added 18:02 - Aug 24 Can't be any worse than Tommy Smith! Happy Days! Just sign another CB, a RB, and Jimmy by Sat and we might be able to grab at least a point!
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manualthetisfanclub added 18:03 - Aug 24 I know this club is desperate for defenders but this absolutly reeks of utter desperation,but anyone is better than what we have or haven't got I suppose!!!!
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Mark added 18:05 - Aug 24 That's right, Brown decided to leave himself. We didn't offer him a very good contract, but then he isn't a very good player. Brown seemed too small and not strong enough; definitely not the future of ITFC I'd say. McAuley was offered a deal by Jewell as it wasn't his fault that the club did not do so previously. As for attendances falling, they have done so every year we've been out of the Premier League. We've had two seasons of dour football under Keane with the team being well short of the play-offs. So many players have been let go that the crown have no "favourites" any more. The economy is in a poor state so many cannot afford the high prices at Portman Road or many other clubs, attendances are falling everywhere. To blame Paul Jewell for reduced attendances at Portman Road is frankly ridiculous.

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