Matusiwa: I Think This is My Competition Sunday, 13th Jul 2025 21:43 New Blues midfielder Azor Matusiwa believes his aggressive style of play will suit life in the Championship. The 27-year-old’s move from Rennes in France was announced this afternoon, the Dutchman having signed a four-year deal at Portman Road. The Blues paid a fee of €9 million (£7.8 million), a new club record while not in the Premier League. “I’m very happy that I can finally call myself an Ipswich player. I’m very excited and I can’t wait to start and meet the guys.” he told TownTV. Hilversum-born Matusiwa, who is moving over to Suffolk with his wife and four-month old son, says the switch was one which has been under discussion for a little time. “Ipswich contacted my agent and he told me about the club. It a took a while to make this step,” he revealed. “I considered it and at the end I was thinking it was the best choice for me, also for my family, my wife and for my kid. I’m super-excited to be here. “I think the project and the environment and everything is the right place for me to work and to achieve great things with the club.” The 5ft 8in tall schemer, who started his career in the famous Ajax academy, says he was sold on the project after speaking to manager Kieran McKenna: “It felt good, it felt honest and I’m a person who likes to feel things and it felt immediately very good. At this moment, I knew this was the club where I had to be.” Asked what fans can expect from him, he added: “I’m a defensive midfielder, I can also play a little bit higher on the pitch but I think my best position is the six position. “A very aggressive player who likes to press, to give high pressure, who likes to have the ball and who can really be a leader for the team. I hope this all will come out.” Matusiwa, who has also played for De Graafschap on loan and Groningen in his home country, as well as his first French club Reims before joining Rennes in January 2024 for €16 million (£13.8 million), believes the Championship will be an ideal fit for his style of play. “What I expect is a lot of intensity, playing a lot of big teams and everyone who was speaking with me about the league was very positive, also,” he continued. “OK, it’s the second league of England, but everyone’s very positive and I expect that it’s going to be a hard season, but we have goals and I believe that we can achieve this project and also this goal. “I think this is my competition, it’s my league. That’s also one of the reasons why I want to come here and why I am here today. I think it suits me.” But away from the pitch, the former Netherlands U16 and U21 international insists he’s a very different character. “The opposite,” he laughed. “Off the pitch I’m kind, I can talk with everyone. I think everyone can talk with me and think everyone will be positive about me, but on the pitch I can be a pain in the arse!” Matusiwa and fellow new addition Cédric Kipré will join their new teammates for the pre-season training camp at SV Windischgarsten in Austria this week.
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