Town have confirmed that trialist midfielder Kevin Bru has put pen to paper on a one-year deal with an option for a second season. Earlier, manager Mick McCarthy revealed that the 25-year-old had become the Blues' first ever Mauritius international.

“We’ve just signed two today in Kevin Bru and Balint,” McCarthy said. “Kevin’s a midfield player who looks a really gifted footballer. He was in the school of excellence at Clairfontaine, he’s got a good background to him.

“Sometimes people drift for a while and I’m hoping that he can give us something. He looks a nice, talented, positive footballer who plays forward passes.”

Bru told the club site: “I feel really good, having signed for Ipswich. I have been here on trial for two weeks and I have been happy with the way my football has gone.

“I have followed English football for many years and it’s a great opportunity for me to come and play here for such a big club as Ipswich.

“I spoke to my friend, Bakary Sako at Wolverhampton and he said the football in England is fantastic with all the stadiums and the fans.

“He said it would be a good for me to come to England and I’m looking forward to my time here.

"I hope we start well against Fulham and have a good season. I think we have the team to do that. I think we have the team to get to the Premier League. I hope so.”

Paris-born Bru, who was a free agent, was a youth player with IFF Clairfontaine and Rennes, where he made his break into senior football when he made two Ligue 1 sub appearances in the 2006/07 season.

A set-piece expert, 6ft tall Bru continued his career in the French second division, spending time on loan at Châteauroux and Clermont Foot before joining Dijon FCO on a permanent basis in January 2010. He moved on to US Boulogne a year later and then spent 2012/13 with FC Istres.

Last season, after a reported €250,000 move, he scored one goal in 26 appearances in Bulgaria with Levski Sofia, with whom he played twice in the Europa League, before leaving at the end of the campaign.

Having won U18 and U19 caps with France, Bru switched international allegiance in 2011 and has won two caps with Mauritius.

His older brother Jonathan has also played international football for Mauritius and is also a free agent having been released by the Melbourne Victory in January.

Photo: Action Images

GerkensBeard added 19:31 - Jul 31 And this club is currently a project under MM and TC with them signing 3 year deals, with finishing 9th last season and the squad having improved this summer and the longer the players are playing with each other and under the regime we will keep improving each season we will eventually hit the promised land. I think it's exciting times at Ipswich compared with the last few seasons as we have an owner and manager which are working together by improving the squad, working hard together and producing results on the pitch. This is the most stable we have been for a long time with a decent squad and are a dark horse this season. Lets just enjoy it and be realistic that no how much money you throw at it you won't get instant success, we are on a mission and with gradual improvement we will get there

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Lord_Mac added 19:33 - Jul 31 While it is true that the teams that spend the most money do well, that's not the position we are in, so we don't have that option. Also, how "underwhelmed" were we when we signed a left back from Tranmere? We may as well get used to the idea that our business model is to draft in young, talented players on the cheap and coach them into valuable assets. That way, our club remains stable, and one day we might get lucky and go up as a result. That's what MM and TC are here to do. Also don't forget that the £4 million we got for Cressy might enable us to offer higher wages and get a better class of free agents! It's not just about what you pay upfront. I much prefer this than spending fortunes on useless, expensive players and watching the assets depreciate before our eyes, which was the business model under Keane and Jewell. Finally, we have a plan that might eventually lead somewhere.

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TimmyH added 19:56 - Jul 31 All the best of luck mate...you'll need it with Mick's favs i.e. Skuse, Tabb, Hyam and Anderson and bit part other midfielders such as Wordy and Taylor - really can't see him getting much further than the subs bench at best, a gamble as we don't really know that much about him other than his trial at Southend. All the best Kevin.
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Killieblue added 20:25 - Jul 31 Nickname to match his orange shirt -- Irn Bru
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ITFC_1_Fan added 21:22 - Jul 31 It will be very interesting to see who starts in midfield against Fulham! Stewart, Skuse, Bru and Henshall?
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Walk_the_Wark added 21:34 - Jul 31 I'm pretty sure those who 'trust' in McCarthy also trusted in RK and PJ. Those who can be slightly more objective can see that though Mick has good man management skills, his 1980's style 'keep it tight, tackle, runaround a lot' ethic is hopelessly outdated. We live in an age where you have to move with the times, and Mick I'm afraid is either reluctant, or too dim to do so. Whomever we sign, we will be hardworking and difficult to beat, and that my friends is the best we can expect until he goes.

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Toronto_Tractor added 21:37 - Jul 31 I think he Im'Bru'ves the squad for sure. I've got a lot of respect for the way MM has brought players in the last 2 years.
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Seasider added 22:18 - Jul 31 Yes Mick has made some good signings,but not all have been successful,Doherty who never kicked a ball in the first team;and Veseli who only had one cup appearance.I am however pleased with the signings made as it suggests a different approach. However the proof of the pudding is in the eating;so lets see what team he puts out,hope it isn't the one which started at Southend!. I still feel that he should be allowed to spend some of the Cresswell money on a fee for a player that is in contract and not been released by a club,or worse still players that are touting themselves around as they are free agents,as if you are canny,as I think our manager is,then he could find a real gem. Bearing in mind that we have two players coming in but two also going out today I still feel that the club could do with a couple more players,one a loanee,as Mick has already hinted and the other as mentioned above;but regardless I am cautiously optimistic about the coming season,lets hope we are not disappointed.

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tractorlegend added 07:26 - Aug 1 Bru looks like a tidy player with a good pass on him! From what I saw yesterday Bajner looked a bit ungainly bad not to effective. A poor mans Peter Crouch
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J4ck22 added 10:46 - Aug 1 Everyone on here spent last season crying out for more attacking options in midfield, which we've now done by signing Henshall, Stewart and now Bru which should definitely give us more bite going forward. Last season proved that we could spend no money and still compete, we were right up near the playoffs all season with limited attacking options. I believe we are a lot stronger this season, again without spending money. Spending money won't get instant success, as we've seen with clubs like Leicester who have spent millions for the last few seasons and only just managed to get promoted, along with various other clubs in the league who have done so and still sit mid table. We spent millions and nearly got relegated. We can't afford to spend millions, even £1m or £2m isn't always enough for a good player who's proven in the Championship anyway and as far as Mick is concerned, I fully trust him to make the right signings to move us forward and feel confident that he has done so this pre season.

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RegencyBlue added 20:02 - Aug 1 Excessive spending does not guarantee success as we know to our cost. No spending will not guarantee success either I would suggest!
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C_Thomsen added 23:12 - Aug 1 As most have already pointed out teams that spend money do tend to succeed rather than those who don't, but... Apart from the relegated sides, with the bumper parachute payments, which you cannot compare against, no other team in The Championship have actually paid money for more than 1-2 players this summer. We have gone for hungry players that are at a make or break stage of their career. All in their earlier twenties and with the potential to develop. I look at the teams that finished just above us in the League last season. Brighton have lost Ulloa to Leicester for £7m - and who have they got in? Toke (who?) from Grasshoppers - on a free. Kuszczaks gone too - and they pay £1m for Stockdale. Derby County has only got players on frees - they finished 3rd last season. Should they not spend in order to push for promotion? Blackburn - Varney, Brown and Baptiste, all freebies. Reading - No signings ? Wigan has spent £2m on Oriel from Osasuna - but apart from that nothing, and who is to say he will adapt to English football. Of all the frees - ours actually look promosing...

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