Town Confirm Williams Loan Signing Thursday, 24th Aug 2023 13:37 Town have confirmed the signing of Manchester United left-back Brandon Williams on a season-long loan. As reported earlier, the 22-year-old stayed overnight in Ipswich before completing the formalities relating to his switch this morning. “It feels good to be down here and I can’t wait to get started,” Williams told TownTV. “I’m coming here to hopefully get into the team and play a lot of games. “There is some very good competition, which is a great challenge, but I’m excited to meet the players and get started. “I played a lot of games when I broke through at United and have had a couple of tough seasons, too, so it’s good for me to get back out and start playing again.” Williams, who will wear the Blues’ number 18 shirt, is looking forward to working with Town boss Kieran McKenna again at Portman Road. “Kieran was my youth team coach at United and from there we have had a great relationship,” he added. “He has always had the standards of a coach at the top level and has had a big influence on me. “He has always kept in touch with me to make sure I’m okay and I trust everything he says because he is great to learn off. I’m excited to work with him again.” McKenna added: “We’re really pleased to have Brandon here. He’s someone I’ve known since a very young age and I’ve seen his journey and how hard he’s worked to get to where he’s got to. “He’s still very young and has a large amount of experience for a 22-year-old, but is coming off a season where he hasn’t played many minutes and has had some bad luck with injuries. “He’s a dynamic, athletic defender who plays with great energy and commitment and has good quality driving forward with the ball. “He can go inside and outside from both wings and can pass and cross with both feet, he is an aggressive and positive defender who enjoys defending but can also give us thrust going forward from different positions. “We think this is a good fit for our group and a really good step for him to come into our environment and culture, where he can work hard and get back to playing at the levels we know he is capable of.” Contrary to reports earlier in the week, the deal doesn't include an option to buy.
Williams came through the academy at Old Trafford and has made 30 first-team appearances for the Red Devils, scoring one goal, including 13 Premier League starts, the most recent in 2020/21. Last season, he made one senior appearance for United, as a late sub in a Carabao Cup victory over Burnley and he is yet to have any involvement this season. Manchester-born Williams, who although right-footed prefers to play on the left, spent the 2012/22 season on loan at Norwich City during their Premier League relegation season, making 25 starts and four sub appearances. The stint at Carrow Road ended unhappily when he was abused by a group of Canaries supporters who had waited for him outside the ground following his final game, a 4-0 home defeat by West Ham. Williams subsequently posted posted a photo of his dogs, apparently a warning, and middle finger gesture on social media before removing the posts. The 5ft 7in tall defender is contracted to United until next summer with the club having an option for a further season. Saturday's opponents Leeds United were recently credited with interest in the full-back, who was spotted at Town’s opening fixture of the season at Sunderland. Confirmation of the Williams deal will see Blues left-back Greg Leigh join Oxford United on a permanent basis with the League One U’s believed to be paying a small fee for the 28-year-old Jamaica international. Leigh joined Town in the summer of 2022 after leaving Morecambe and has been an important and popular member of the squad, although with his league starts limited to only four due to the form of Leif Davis. In addition to those four League One starts, Leigh has made 12 sub appearances and six cup starts, scoring one goal.
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