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

chepstowblue added 12:42 - Aug 28 Is anybody else at the...."Okay, that's enough now" stage? I'm glad we're throwing everything at it, but the past fortnight seems to have been rushed and confused. Burgess,Luongo, Chaplin,Burns, Woolfy, Hirst ,will now very much be part of the 'second string'. Possibly only two or three of last seasons squad will now feature regularly. I know it's progress, but it's tinged with sadness.

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davidsc1971 added 12:44 - Aug 28 An excellent addition here who offers us multiple options, at pace, across the front line. When the intensity of the League kicks in, plus suspensions and injuries etc then having these options will prove invaluable. It's about depth now and for the future potentially too. Ticks lots of boxes for me this one and so welcome aboard Chiedozie
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Lukeybluey added 12:50 - Aug 28 I've just seen that McKenna stated that he was very impressed with Ao Tanaka when we played Dusseldorf in pre season, I wonder whether he might look to try and sign him? Leeds reportedly have bid £3.4m for him...? Drop in the ocean to what we're currently spending...would add more steel and mobility to our midfield for sure.
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planetblue_2011 added 12:57 - Aug 28 Welcome aboard can’t wait to see you play
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 13:07 - Aug 28 Some comments doing the rounds about how many players we have signed from teams relegated from tge Prem last season. Could it not be said that their experience in relegation battles might be useful as we try to learn how to stay up?
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BlueFinn added 13:12 - Aug 28 Let's not forget this investment of 105m from American investors in March. Now we are using it.This transfer window feels strange for someone like me who has been a supporter from early 70's but we must remember premier league now is a different beast from 2002 when we last left it. Interesting times ahead. The situation now is that you can't count on even getting tickets if you are an international supporter. We will arrive anyway in April with my Wolves supporting mate. The flights and hotel we have already booked. Now for the game tickets somehow. If this doesn't work we have agreed to watch the game in pub. The Bobby Robson era meant there is support even in Finland. COYB!

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BeattiesBackPocket added 13:38 - Aug 28 Ernie were nowhere near forests spending!?? lol they spent nigh on 200 million and another 50 a year later plus they had about 50 odd players on their books on prem wages. Most of ours are still on championship wages.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 13:42 - Aug 28 Pimsnumber1 we’ve signed two Burnley players so far?? The striker is just a rumour still. I don’t see anyone commenting on Odebert who we were also after and went to spurs and was their best player at the weekend against Everton but I suppose as spurs got him from Burnley that’s okay. Pmsl some championship managers on here
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schenkermental added 13:56 - Aug 28 For another two million could have got Chiesa.
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blues1 added 15:10 - Aug 28 Suffolknproud. Yer. Hadn't thought of it like that. Was looking at it, from the point of view of our previous record fee.
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Linkboy13 added 15:17 - Aug 28 I don't agree Ogbene has been signed as cover for Burns bearing in mind he's got Premier league experience and Burns hasn't. People are finding it difficult to accept last year's team is being broken up . Burns will have play out of his skin to keep his place and more importantly stay fit which he hasn't been recently.
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FromIpswichToPhoenix added 15:49 - Aug 28 It's sad reading some of the comments on here. As fans, it's been almost a quarter of a century since we've been in this position. We have money for the first time in decades. We have strong ownership, an incredible manager, an incredible GM, great sponsorship, and a full stadium. We needed to spend big to maintain this. Of course it will hurt seeing some of our players go, but we need experience now. A squad built up league one players, will not survive in the prem. Those calling this a Paul Hurst vibe, don't remember what happened. Hurst took our Championship squad and replaced it with league one and league two players. Ashton has taken our league one and championship team and added prem league players. If we can stay up this season, everything changes. I trust MA and KM. They haven't done us wrong yet.

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PCC added 17:51 - Aug 28 12 new signings now ,some who were relegated from the prem last season. Is what he is really saying is that the players who got us here are not good enough . Give them a chance please they deserveve at least that.
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