Town have confirmed the signing of Brighton and Hove Albion keeper Christian Walton on a season-long loan.

News of the Blues’ interest in the 25-year-old first emerged yesterday and he was at the club this morning to undergo a medical and put pen to paper on the deal. Derby and Nottingham Forest were among a number of Championship clubs understood to have shown interest.

“I’m really pleased to be here,” Walton told iFollow Ipswich. “I’ve not met the lads yet but I’m looking forward to working with the group.

“The gaffer has put together a strong squad and I have good experience at this level so I’m hoping I can bring that to the challenge.”

Walton was widely tipped to be on Town’s radar this summer having played for Paul Cook during a loan spell at Wigan Athletic during their 2017/18 League One title-winning campaign and also the following season in the Championship.

“I know Christian very well,” Cook added. “He’s a commanding goalkeeper, a great lad and he’s got experience at Championship and League One level. I’m absolutely delighted that we have acquired him.”

Brighton head coach Graham Potter said: “Christian is at the stage of his career he wants to play regular football and with four very good senior goalkeepers at the club it was clear game time would be at a premium this season.

“With Ipswich he will have that opportunity to play regularly under a manager he enjoyed one of the most successful periods of his career.

“It’s a really good loan move for him and one which we all wish him well for the season ahead.”

Town were always expected to sign two keepers during this transfer window with Cook believed to have told both David Cornell - who is now with Peterborough - and Tomas Holy they could move on.

Vaclav Hladky was signed from Salford in June and has played every League One game so far but has had a difficult start to his time with the Blues.

Wadebridge-born Walton, who is 6ft 5in tall, was a schoolboy with Plymouth’s academy before moving on to the youth set-up at Brighton.

A former England U19, U20 and U21 international, Walton has made six starts for the Seagulls and has had spells on loan with Bury, back with the Pilgrims, Luton, Southend and Blackburn in addition to his time with the Latics.

As well as having played under Cook at Wigan, Walton previously worked with Town keeper-coach John Keeley when he spent time on the Seagulls' U23s staff in 2016.

Walton is Town's 17th signing of the summer with Bersant Celina set to become the 18th, TWTD having revealed earlier today that a deal which will see the Kosovan return on loan from Dijon is all but done.

Photo: ITFC

dirtydingusmagee added 19:14 - Aug 30 masetheace, i know where you are coming from , i worry that Cook is influenced by what these players did , and not what they may be able to do now .
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warwickblue added 19:14 - Aug 30 I have some sympathy with Hladky. Outfield players usually make several errors per game and we've certainly seen them in the first few games, as new team-mates get used to finding one another, rather than instinctively" knowing" where a player is going to be. Goalkeepers rarely get a second-chance. An error will usually lead to a goal. Yes, Hladky has looked nervous at times but he doesn't have the certainty of knowing that he can rely on those in front of him to do what he might expect them to. The phrase "to gel" has been horribly over-used in the last month but there is some truth in it.

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blues1 added 19:19 - Aug 30 Monkeyblue. Stop talking crap Hladky has made 1 real error. Yes, hes looked uncomfortable.at times. But thats bcse hes played behind a different back four almost every game. Which any keeper will tell you, doesnt help their confidence. Holy made error after error last season. And that carried on into preseason.And the only reason hes still here even now, is bcse nobodies come in for him. Which says it all. And hes not actually being kicked out bcse of this signing is he? He was told at the end of last season he could go so was always on the cards. But of course, u have to find a slant on it, to have a go at Cook.

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istanblue added 19:20 - Aug 30 A keeper who has won this league is a good sign. Let's just hope that the Czechmates don't bring his level down.
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blues1 added 19:26 - Aug 30 Masetheace. Look at the history of football managers and you'll find they all like to sign players theyve previously worked with . Because those players will know how the manager wants them to play, and the manager trusts them. And all the players whove played for Cook have been signed from a higher division. So it's not exactly a gamble that they should be good enough for this lge.

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blues1 added 19:29 - Aug 30 Carlisleaway. What? Hladky going on loan? Get real. The only keeper likely to be going anywhere is Holy. If theres anyone out there that wants him.
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marinermyhero added 19:33 - Aug 30 No blue1 today lol
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Linkboy13 added 20:12 - Aug 30 He'll need time to gel.
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blues1 added 20:31 - Aug 30 What surprises me about this deal, is that brighton were willing to allow him out on loan, rather than on a permanent deal, taking into account this is the last year of his contract. Meaning he can walk away for free next year. While theres obviously a loan fee, I cant inagine thats near what his transfer value would have been now. But good for us, should we want to sign him on a permanent next summer.

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blues1 added 20:51 - Aug 30 Mariner1974. You would have thought that ur claim that holy should have played against cheltenham is right. But holy couldnt catch a cold. Which is odd considering his height. At least we wont have to put up with that throw in the return match, whoever's in goal.
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Mariner1974 added 22:00 - Aug 30 My Wigan mate's take on Walton - 'He's a Sh*t Hot Keeper'. Praise the Lord!
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Eddie1985 added 23:29 - Aug 30 Welcome to the club an upgrade I'm sure, whatever people think about cooks record, attitude and tactics etc the most bizarre excuse I have seen trotted out a few times now is players need time to 'settle into the area'?? Hey??! Come on they are not foreign imports they just lived in another town or city in the UK, doubt they struggle with housing etc.
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Linkboy13 added 10:27 - Aug 31 Not much Hladky can do when the team down tools in front of him. Most keepers will struggle with a shaky defence in front of them Bart struggled in his last season at Town because of this and as did Pickford two seasons ago and people wondered why Southgate stood by him.
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