Town have confirmed the signing of Kosovo international keeper Arijanet Muric from Burnley on a four-year deal.

The Blues have been on the lookout for a new number one following the departure of Vaclav Hladky, who left the club earlier this month having been unable to agree terms on a new deal at Portman Road.

News that the Blues were working on a deal to sign the 25-year-old first emerged at the weekend with Town understood to be paying an initial fee of £8 million plus £2 million in add-ons. Muric’s former club Manchester City will receive a percentage from a sell-on.

“I’m excited to have joined the club and am looking forward to getting started,” Muric, usually known by the diminutive Aro, told TownTV. 

“I watched how the team played last season and feel the style will suit me very well, so this is the perfect move for me. 

“I have had good conversations with the manager [Kieran McKenna] and Rene [Gilmartin, head of goalkeeping] and believe this is the right place for me to be as the Club moves into the Premier League.  I’m looking forward to getting started.” 

Swiss-born Muric, who will join up with the squad at their Austria training camp havign become the club’s fifth recruit of the summer, joined City’s youth set-up from Zurich-based Grasshoppers in 2015 and while at the Etihad spent spells on loan at NAC Breda, Nottingham Forest, Girona, Willem II and Adana Demirspor in Türkiye.

Having made five Carabao Cup appearances for City, the 6ft 6in tall glovesman joined Burnley on a four-year deal in the summer of 2022 was a member of the Clarets side which won the Championship in 2022/23, a season in which he was named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Last season, Muric made 10 Premier League starts for the Lancashire side - all in the final couple of months of the season after he regained his place from summer recruit James Trafford - in addition to four games in cup competitions. Overall, he made 52 appearances for the Clarets, keeping 21 clean sheets.

A latter-day Paul Cooper or Roy Bailey, Muric has saved eight of 26 penalties over his career, including one from England skipper Harry Kane while in action for Kosovo in a Euros qualifier.

Muric is Town's second Kosovo international following Bersant Celina. The keeper has won 38 full caps, having previously made one U21 appearance for Montenegro.

Portman Road’s keeping ranks could be set for a major overhaul this summer following Hladky’s departure. The Czech has turned down Banik Ostrava in his home country and is understood to have been offered the chance to swap places with Muric at Burnley. Another Czech club Jablonec have also been in talks, while Slavia Prague have been linked, but it’s reported that the 33-year-old would prefer to stay in England.

Christian Walton could potentially move on for first-team football, while Cieran Slicker has said the next stage of his development is a move on loan with Scottish clubs Kilmarnock, Ross County and Partick Thistle all believed to be keen.

Photo: ITFC

BeattiesBackPocket added 22:49 - Jul 17 Timmy’s he only played 10 games at the end of last season pretty sure you’re talking about the absolute howlers from Trafford as he played most the season. Again go read Burnley forums on fb and instagram saying they’re gonna miss him and how he was the better keeper
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Linkboy13 added 10:35 - Jul 18 Don't think we've signed him as a new number 2 as some people seem to think. Any footballer who genuinely loves the game won't want to sit on the bench for another season so i can see Walton being sold to a championship club or possibly a loan with a return clause. Walton in my opinion is a better allround keeper than Hladky but never really got over the operation he had on his Planar Fasiliatis and could need two or three games to regain his confidence.

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hyperbrit added 13:37 - Jul 18 McKenna had the advantage of seeing Walton in training throughout last season and obviously didn't see enough to convince him that he had what it takes for the Premiership at this time.
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:11 - Jul 18 Pleased enough with thix signing,we need to get the other targets in now ,clock is ticking, the big day will be here soon enough.
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