Town have confirmed the signing of Luton Town winger Chiedozie Ogbene on a four-year deal.

TWTD revealed yesterday morning that the Blues were closing in on the 27-year-old, who becomes the club’s 12th addition of the summer.

The Blues are understood to have paid £8 million for the Nigeria-born wideman, who was signed in time to make his debut in the Carabao Cup at AFC Wimbledon tonight.

“I’m very excited and feel lucky to have this opportunity to play in the Premier League again,” Chiedozie told TownTV. 

“I’ve had very positive chats with the manager and for someone to believe in me that I could play at this level again means a lot to me and my family. 

“I know what he wants from me and the role I will play and I’m here to be a positive addition to the squad as we look to achieve our goals.

“It’s an opportunity I had to grab with both hands and I can’t wait to be involved as soon as possible.”

Ogbene, Town’s sixth Republic of Ireland qualifying player, joined the Hatters last summer having spent the previous four seasons with Rotherham United.

In 2023/24, the Republic of Ireland international made 20 starts and 10 sub appearances in the Premier League, scoring four goals and picking up one assist. He was also ranked as the second fastest player in the division behind Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven.

A move for another primarily right-sided forward might be viewed as a surprise with the Blues having Wes Burns and Omari Hutchinson for the role, although with the Welshman currently out with a hamstring injury.

Ogbene, who has been linked with Town in previous transfer windows, is versatile and can also be played wide on the left - where Nathan Broadhead is currently absent, also due to a hamstring problem - or as a number 10.

The 5ft 11in tall wideman, who will wear the number 21 shirt, had a trial at Portman Road in January 2018 when a Limerick player alongside Barry Cotter but unlike his compatriot didn’t win a contract. However, another trial spell the same month yielded a deal with Brentford.

The Ogbene signing takes Town’s summer spending to £102.5 million, almost certainly more than has been spent in the club’s history up to the end of last season.

Town now have 28 players who qualify for their 25-man Premier League squad even before any further additions meaning several players will have to move on or not be available for league games.

Freddie Ladapo seems certain to move on, while George Edmundson would also appear on the way out following the signing of Dara O’Shea.

Others, such as Ali Al-Hamadi, Marcus Harness and Jack Taylor, could be set for loans before the window closes.

The Blues seem likely to add one more player before the window closes on Friday, a striker with the loan move for Chelsea’s Armando Broja still up in the air and Burnley’s Lyle Foster an alternative.

Photo: ITFC/Matchday Images

ernie added 10:58 - Aug 28 Nuts- at his age and price too for a player signed on a free not that long ago and 1 season of prem experience. Very difficult to integrate this many players into a squad. This is verging on Forest levels of signings in 2022. Did we learn nothing from 2002?
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blues1 added 11:01 - Aug 28 Pimsnumber1. Ridiculous comment. So he played at Rotherham for 3 or 4 years? So what? Burns came from Accrington Stanley. And burns has jad a number of hamstring injuries so always gonna need cover. And yet another awful fan slagging off muric for a poor 5 minutes, on his debut. T Man city of all places. You dont think he had some nerves? Assume uve forgotten Waltons debut. 5 goals conceded,3 his fault. Or the Fulham and Maidstone games last season, 5 goals conceded over the 2 games, 4 of them down to him. It happens. Notice you don't mention the rest of thd game when he was fine, or the world class save he made 2nd half. Of course not. Only interested in being negative.

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1RWR added 11:10 - Aug 28 If we stay up, every penny spent has been worth it. We need points desperately over the coming months, if these new additions can get us those points & we survive, money well spent.
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TimmyH added 11:13 - Aug 28 Well we've certainly done some business with the relegated clubs and some top players in the Championship, lets see if McK can get them to keep us up! Welcome Chizie.
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Karlosfandangal added 11:23 - Aug 28 These players are never a waste of money may have cost us 8 but if Town stay up it’s worth 100s of millions and if go down we will be selling at 10,12,15 million
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Karlosfandangal added 11:26 - Aug 28 Not just back up for Burns but back up for Broadhead
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BobbyBell added 11:30 - Aug 28 David Beckham played for Brimsdown Rovers. Kevin Keeghan was signed by Liverpool from Scunthorpe. Never judge a player based on their past, think about what they can be. Just look at where Kevin Beattie came from, that was a gamble that paid off big time. Some players just need the right team, the right coaching and good players around them to show their true abilities. It also helps if the fans get behind them too. We can't afford proven superstars so we buy potential and work hard to make them the best that they can be. This squad has real potential and I thinks it's really exciting times.

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KiwiTractor added 11:34 - Aug 28 Re the squad size, I though U21s don't count towards the 25? That allows for Delap and Hutchinson, plus 25 others... Can anyone confirm?
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tractorboybig added 11:37 - Aug 28 alphawhiskey its not building a squad its buying one
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Ipswich_Sniffer added 11:40 - Aug 28 Getting Paul Hurst vibes
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Chrisgee added 11:50 - Aug 28 Im pretty sure people dont realise that having premier league experience actually counts for something and thusly increases their worth.
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Town1Inter0 added 11:57 - Aug 28 I met Gary Mabbutt once and asked him about what Prem defenders fear the most. His answer: Height and Pace. If this lad is quick then he’ll instil fear in opponents defence, which will impact their movement and shape, which may in turn help other attacking players. It’s very easy to look up stats in WhoScored.com to determine whether a player has any promise or not, but KMcK isn’t playing fantasy football, he’s building a team, with different configurations and options. My hunch is that he’ll be used as a super-sub to terrorise tired defences. I suspect that KMcK knows that he’s doing!

1

Magic8 added 11:58 - Aug 28 Why have you not named Jack Clarke in tge squad list Phil ?
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Tractorog added 11:58 - Aug 28 Welcome Chiedozie. It is our unexpected good fortune that we should be able to bring players like you to our club. Our rise has been quick, but fans memories are sometimes short. Good luck, I hope you do well.
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algarvefan added 11:59 - Aug 28 Can't believe the negativity of one or two, this is all about squad building and having a good alternative if we pick up injuries and also about bringing on subs to change a game, which McKenna does to such great effect. Welcome to Portman Road Chiedozie, you have joined a good crew and most importantly you seem like the right kind of player for Ipswich
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runningout added 12:00 - Aug 28 will be sad to see any player leave after our magical exploits
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Tommyc added 12:01 - Aug 28 Having watched the first 2 games in full, it is clear that a few of our established players are not up to Premier standard which is understandable after successive promotions. One new player that has stood out is Delap whilst feeding mainly off scraps. Assuming Hirst is nearing a return and with other players ability to play CF, not sure if we need or want another?
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AlanG296 added 12:10 - Aug 28 Blues1. Burns did not come from Accrington Stanley.
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BlueSkies added 12:10 - Aug 28 Please forgive my ignorance here but where has all the money come from for us to spend over 100 million pound? Is is from Gamechanger? Is it from money as a result of getting back into the Premiership? Or is it from money anticipated because we are back in the premiership? It makes me nervous tbh. Sorry folks, I'm so out of touch on the financial mechanics of modern football!

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AlanG296 added 12:19 - Aug 28 Hate parachute payments but we're doing what the league bosses say they are there for, encouraging teams to "invest" in the team. The money comes from the line of credit taken out recently secured against income from this league.
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IpswichBlueHeaven added 12:22 - Aug 28 Song for our new player Chiedozie Ogbene: To the tune of Black Betty by Ram Jam Whoa, OGBENE, bam-ba-lam Whoa, OGBENE, bam-ba-lam OGBENE scores goals that are sweat, bam-ba-lam With his head and his feet, bam-ba-lam
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Leejames99 added 12:24 - Aug 28 Cripes so much negativity, what a team we have and yes it is similar to Forest first season back but they are now established in Prem, this player is 2nd fastest in prem league so imagine him on the break.i agree Burnley player a no and its just from some random Italian reporter.We will still sign Broja or Ellis Or Whittaker I think and yes we have cream of championship but if we were to get relegated go forbid then look the team we got and all on long contracts. In terms of gel the team after Saturday it's International break so lots of time to gel, and tonights game and Sat. Look Man City squad, Chelsea etc just a striker now and we good to go. Just enjoy the season and remember where we were, teams have to evolve.

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BurleysGloryDays added 12:25 - Aug 28 Our form dipped badly when Burns was injured last season, he plays a v specific role as an outlet in our system and if Ogbene is the talent to replicate that then so be it. Obviously every signing is a calculated risk. It’s who you want taking those risks that matters. Ashton and McKenna record is insanely good so welcome aboard Ogbene!
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AlanG296 added 12:34 - Aug 28 Hopefully players signed who have Premier league experience of relegation will have extra motivation not to experience that again.
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Nomore4 added 12:40 - Aug 28 Yes Urban……You can’t continually beat an old record. Since Serini it’s been broken once….not since
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