Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that French defender Chris Goteni is joining the Blues from Saint-Apollinaire, as TWTD revealed earlier this afternoon. The deal is done aside from the paperwork.

“He’s joining us, just to the end of the season with an option,” McCarthy said. “We thought it was worth having a look. He came and trained with us and he trained with the first team and did all right.

“He played in a practice match the other day and was awful but I’d seen enough in the training. I don’t think he’d been training properly and he’d travelled, so he’s joining us.”

The 19-year-old joined Saint-Apollinaire from ASPTT Dijon in the summer, having previously been with Ligue 1 side Dijon FCO's youth set-up.

Saint-Apollinaire play at the fifth tier in France but McCarthy says players have previously been recruited from similar levels and gone on to great success.

“I think your man that went to Bristol City [Jonathan Kodjia] was playing fairly low level and they sold him for £14 million!”

Photo: TWTD

dangerous30 added 19:26 - Jan 13 Maybe he was trying too hard in the practice match and he can relax now he is with us until the end of the season. But I wish him the best of luck
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ronnyd added 19:28 - Jan 13 A lot of posters on here want the defence shored up so, this guy is a defender so surely worth a punt.
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Rensham added 19:49 - Jan 13 Glad Mick is still signing players, should mean that his contract extension will be taken up and that the club's progress will be able to continue next season. At least we get paid off if he take the Ireland job.
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BlueNomad added 19:55 - Jan 13 Dangerous30. What you are saying is far too wise for some on here.
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alfromcol added 20:30 - Jan 13 Moore was awful when he played for the 1st team!!! Look what happened to him
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alfromcol added 20:32 - Jan 13 Almost forgot, Iowful is awful and he started again this afternoon and he was awful again!
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TrueBlue1998 added 20:50 - Jan 13 Why is there outrage at this?! How did we sign Beattie, Gates, Wark, Burley etc? - they were talent spotted at a young age. If he's not up to it nothing lost
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Superfrans added 20:52 - Jan 13 Sense of humour failure by lots of people above. Low salary, 4 months, no risk. 👍
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AbujaBlue added 21:01 - Jan 13 When we sign someone from the English lower leagues, we are unearthing a potential gem. Why should the French lower leagues be any different. If he's no good release him, but if he is? What is there to moan about here?
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thorpedo added 21:15 - Jan 13 Have we Goteni decent transfer targets?......
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Ipswichbusiness added 21:33 - Jan 13 If I remember rightly, MM's justification for not playing our own young defenders was that he needed "hairy arsed" players. Then he goes off and signs a youngster from French non-league? If he's not going to play this season, why sign him now on loan?
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bobble added 21:48 - Jan 13 we need to fix our defence, hope he helps..
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nineteenseventyeight added 21:55 - Jan 13 can he play in goal? ;)
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blue added 22:53 - Jan 13 DEFENDER GREAT NEWS !!!! This guy could be the best thing yet even if Mick says he was terrible ,he will be proud to play in a blues shirt , thats why hes coming to town, feel good about this guy :)
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geminimustang added 07:40 - Jan 14 Do the armchair Managers on this forum honestly believe that any player is signed/not signed on the basis of a single game?Regular visitors to this site will hear MM constantly referring to scout reports,various statistics available that provide very detailed analysis on any player,club video,tv video,youtube video,medical reports and all that before you discuss any fee.My guess is no fee unless permanently signed and a small salary until the summer with free accommodation and a car from a sponsor.MM is quite simply one of the most astute when it comes to spotting talent and ITFC have benefitted from that enormously.Cue the down arrow brigade cos i've defended MM again.Good luck to the lad and welcome to ITFC with a big thank you for joining.

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smithy0981 added 07:52 - Jan 14 You don't sign a player and tell the fans he was awful, common sense tells you that. Another reminder McCarthy has no relationship with the fans and doesn't care. Absolute idiot
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ChrisFelix added 09:36 - Jan 14 The next Mings or like the Polish bloke we signed a couple of years ago. With all the stupid money in the sport let's hope he is the former
3

Seasider added 12:03 - Jan 14 Nice to see that we are still looking to the Continent as well as Ireland,although of course he could have come via 'My Scout'. However wont cost much,and contract only til end of season
2

Bert added 12:47 - Jan 14 Why don't people like MM's honest straight forward way of talking ? Whilst I am not convinced that MM should linger any longer he is very good at spotting potential. With a low level risk and who knows could be another Mings.
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Warkys_Tash added 13:02 - Jan 14 On the face of it worth a go, think Mings and Moore. However, I am amazed at McCarthys comments re 'awful' - even of he thought it, surely keep it to himself? These types of comments are often associated with an exasperated manager who knows his time is up. Ala the Paul Jewell Fiasco after the Derby County game!
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BrettenhamBlue added 03:51 - Jan 15 Was Captain of the Dijon youth side. How on earth did he end up five divisions down? Low level risk and might be worth something at the end of the day.
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BlueBlood90 added 09:23 - Jan 15 We've given a player a trial match, said player plays awful in the trial match...Offer him a contract. Only at ITFC! Welcome aboard.
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Cheshire_Blue added 09:37 - Jan 15 well said Maltster.
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gosblue added 10:50 - Jan 15 Let's not forget that the U23s are almost certainly desperate for players too. With the 1st team squad decimated and other players out on loan to get senior level experience, this is probably just a low risk signing for a small fee and low wages. Oh! And he may just be a hidden gem. I think we all be watching his career with interest for various reasons.
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