Town have confirmed the signing of Macclesfield right-back Elliott Hewitt. The Welshman, who is 18 today, has signed a three-year deal, as reported last night.

The Blues and Silkmen agreed a fee understood to be in the region of an initial £250,000 with further cash due when various milestone clauses have been triggered.

The full-back, who can also operate in midfield, tweeted that he was delighted to be joining the Blues: "Really happy to sign for Ipswich. Looking forward to next season and getting back playing. Couldn't of wished for a better 18th present.

"Would like to thank everyone at Macclesfield for what they did for me. The club means the world to me and I hope they bounce back.

"Thanks to all the coaches, youth team, first team from last year and backroom staff at Macc. And the biggest thank you to the fans."

Macclesfield chairman Mike Rance is happy with the deal: "We're pleased that he is going to a club with a realistic chance of making first team appearances.

"Elliott's best interests were part of the process, but we've also negotiated hard to get a good deal for the club with a fee that could exceed our transfer record should all of the performance-related add-ons come to fruition. He's a young player with a great future ahead of him."

Hewitt, who was interesting the likes of Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea before his 2011/12 campaign was curtailed due to a hip impingement injury which required surgery, joined Macclesfield's youth set-up after being released by the Stoke Academy.

Hewitt signs in chief executive Simon Clegg's office

Having made a single first team start in 2010/11 and becoming the Silkmen's youngest-ever player at 16 years and 342 days, the Bodelwyddan-born defender, who has won five U21 caps with Wales in addition to three at U17 level, made 19 starts and five sub appearances as the Silkmen were relegated from League Two at the end of this season.

Photos: Action Images/ITFC

Photo: Action Images

Blue041273 added 17:14 - May 30 Agree that it's good to get him in, but let's not get carried away. This is an investment for the future. He is unproven and will take some time to settle in at Championship level. Nevertheless welcome and good luck for a long and successful career in an Ipswich shirt.
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bluearmy4life added 17:39 - May 30 Welcome Elliott. Let's hope this is the start of good things to come. Well done ITFC lets hope his another Cressy!
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Lightningboy added 17:46 - May 30 Great news...welcome aboard Elliot.
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muhrensweet4thijssen added 19:01 - May 30 HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIOTT Thanks for showing faith in us! I HOPE we repay your trust with Promotion or at least a good go at it!!! More Hungry young players fighting for each other and their careers plaes Mr Jewell!!!!!
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walberswick added 19:22 - May 30 Great, we can build the under-21 side around him.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 19:30 - May 30 Welcome to our great football club young man. Work hard & the rewards for you & ITFC will be there.
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TimmyH added 19:35 - May 30 Welcome on board Elliot, did you hear that Mr Norris, Mr Ward, Mr Leadbitter? "Big Club"!! Matty Lowton would be good also.
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h32 added 19:42 - May 30 ........ doesn't take much to pitch some supporters into an almost orga#mic frenzy nowadays, the 'new breed' of support expects little before reaching fever pitch. A step in the right direction by signing a youngster for sure, but the lad is already being quoted as the next Gareth Bale etc; etc; - how over the top is that at this stage ?? - he hasn't even kicked a ball for the Club yet !! Personally I would like to see the Club give more respect to our own youngsters i.e Hyam etc; - several youngsters have left the Club that would have cost us nothing, other than being offered a reasonable contract. Think about it ! IPSWICH TOWN of today in no way resembles the IPSWICH TOWN of yesteryear - as most stalwarts of the Club would agree - but time changes everything and moves on. Welcome to Portman Road Elliot - hope you've made the right choice in Club, and wish you every success.

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Michael11 added 19:43 - May 30 Very pleased with this, at last some real positivity about a signing on here too, hopefully going to be a big player in our future!
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davidsc1971 added 20:00 - May 30 Wow. It's May and we've signed someone already. Spent all day thinking it was the middle of August and that I'd missed the Euros and the Olympics. Good signing for the Club and shows solid intent. Happy with this one, let's hope there's more to come before Captain Clegg's Guam adventures begin
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paulnstar added 20:31 - May 30 o d g a conference player lets all jizz
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alfromcol added 20:48 - May 30 why have an academy when you can sign players like Elliott for a small fee????
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planetblue_2011 added 21:01 - May 30 Get in there what a signing. COYB
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harlingblue added 21:14 - May 30 Great news, very please about this signing and done without a long drawn out saga! Welcome to the club Elliott, may you be a part of some special years!
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YobRotcart added 21:49 - May 30 Good stuff PJ. Much rather see my hard-earned season ticket money spent this way than on last season's old gits 11.
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TooleyBlue added 22:34 - May 30 Fantastic signing - just what we need, young blood, not the likes of Bowyer and Healey! More of the same please.
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walberswick added 22:51 - May 30 Well done PJ, planning ahead for 2013-4 in League Div 1.
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Tractastic added 23:38 - May 30 Looks like a promising signing and if he turns out anything like Cresswell then this indeed a good day.However we still need that spine in the team so i look forward to similar days to celebrate this summer when we sign a quality goalkeeper,centre back,midfield general and target man, in any order please..... Welcome aboard Elliott and i look forward to those 'Bale' type bombs forward.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:27 - May 31 this is fantastic news, well done to all concerned. And for those being negative on this take a hike, (cant believe that any could be, but there are some). And as for those who still wish to knock, Clegg and Evans, by comparing them to previous town Hierarchy , include the facts about everything, after all it was the Cobbold regime that spent money on the pioneer Stand,( now Brittania ) that got us into debt And led to the team being dismantled. And of course Sheepshanks was behind releasing funds for the purchase of Sereni, Finidi, Le Pen, Karich,in excess of ten million pounds on players who flopped and Ultimately dragged us into Administration . Times have changed and not always for the better but a football club needs to run like a business and with Evans in charge i cant see those situations arising again....COYB

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ArnieMsBigToe added 12:33 - May 31 paulnstar: Your reference to jizz has confirmed my suspicion that you r a w*nk!r.
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ibisblue added 15:04 - Jun 2 refreshing news... good luck Hewitt and welcome!
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