New Blues signing Kasey McAteer says having plenty of familiar faces at the club will help him integrate into the squad following his £11.5 million-plus-add-ons move from Leicester City.

The 23-year-old becomes the fifth senior Republic of Ireland international at Town, alongside skipper Dara O’Shea, Jack Taylor, Chieo Ogbene and Sammie Szmodics, while head of goalkeeping Rene Gilmartin is on the Ireland staff.

In addition, he joined AFC Wimbledon on loan the same month that Ali Al-Hamadi moved to the Wombles and they played together for six months at Plough Lane. George Hirst is a one-time Leicester teammate.

“I know a lot of the boys from Ireland, I know a few others from previous clubs as well,” McAteer told TownTV.

“It’s always good when you’re coming into a group and you know players here already and they can give their advice and they were only giving good advice, so I knew it was a good place to come. I’ll see them in the coming days and hopefully we can get going together. It will help me integrate into a new group, knowing a few of the boys from Ireland.

“They’ve all been great guys when I’ve been away with the national team, so hopefully I can come in and build on the bonds I’ve already got with those boys as well. As well as that, build with the players I don’t know so well. Very excited and can’t wait to meet them all.”

McAteer, who has signed a four-year deal, is making the first move of his career, having been at Leicester since he was eight.

The Northampton-born forward admits it’s not easy to leave a club after such a long spell.

“It’s tough, I can’t sit here and lie and say it’s not because it is, it’s really tough,” he continued. “But at the same time, I’ve had a great 14 years of my life there, that period has been great and I’ve enjoyed it. I love the club and I wish them nothing but success in the future.

“But at this point in my career, it’s a good step for me, it’s a good place to come, an exciting place to come and it’s the best thing for me right now. It’s a no-brainer for me to come here.”

The Foxes pipped the Blues to the Championship title in 2023/24 with the teams playing out two hard-fought draws in that campaign.

“Tough games, it’s never an easy game against Ipswich,” he recalled. “I think in the Champ season two years ago we had two 1-1 draws, they were both really tough games with the fans really up for it as well, on both sides, which was great and to be a part of it was really good.

“It’s a good place to come. My best friend’s dad’s from Ipswich, so he’s going to be buzzing when he sees this. I just can’t wait to get going now.”

In May, McAteer achieved a milestone in his former club’s 2-0 victory over the Blues: “It was my first Premier League goal, hopefully not my last. It was great to get, obviously against Ipswich not so great, but that happened.

“Hopefully I can build on that, score as many goals as I possibly can in the season ahead at Ipswich.”

He says he’s kept an eye on Town with the Blues and Foxes having been on similar journeys over the last two years.

“When you get promoted from the Championship, you’re always looking at the other two and how they’re doing,” he said.

“Last season, we all struggled because we all know what the Premier League is and it’s relentless.

“This season I imagine the aim is to get promoted again, all the boys will be pushing to do that day in, day out as well as the manager and the staff and that’s what I’ve come to do myself.

“I want to aspire to be the best I can be and the best version of myself I can bring. And hopefully if I can bring that to the squad, then we’re on a good path.”

Having had a taste of the Premier League last season, McAteer is looking to make a return.

“I loved it, the time I got to play I loved it,” he added. “Every young boy dreams of playing in the Premier League. I hope I can add to that in the future.

“That’s where I aspire to be and hopefully that’s where this club will be at this time next season. That’s what we’ll aspire to achieve and we’ll work hard day in, day out to achieve that.”

Photo: ITFC

Steelmonkey added 18:30 - Aug 22 I’ve looked and read a lot of the Leicester fans reaction to the move and most are fairly unhappy at losing Kasey, yes I think we have paid top money for him perhaps too much, I just hope that the consultancy firm who were instrumental in bringing Muric here weren’t involve and he has been brought here purely on his footballing talent and not statistics playing too big a part.

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Trimleytractor added 18:32 - Aug 22 Churchmans. I hope you feel better for posting your negative comment. Genius.
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armchaircritic59 added 18:36 - Aug 22 Welcome to ITFC Kasey. If you come in here ( and I expect that's very unlikely ), don't be put off by any negativity. The vast majority of our supporters will be willing you to succeed, and will give you the chance to do so. Best of luck!
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planetblue_2011 added 18:47 - Aug 22 Very happy with Mcateer signing welcome aboard. always thought he looked decent. Great prospect & he’s hungry. COYBS
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eddiespearitt03 added 19:24 - Aug 22 Alot of fans are unsure. We.ll soon find out .
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jazzback added 19:26 - Aug 22 I can't really remember him from last season against us, and know nothing about him, which is about as much as majority on here also. I think give the lad a chance before we start slating him. There must be something there that KMcK sees in him.
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SussexTractor added 19:36 - Aug 22 Ipswich Town are the Irish National Team !
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Cloddyseedbed added 19:37 - Aug 22 If we can get our money back for Clarke, sell him, he's done nothing and doesn't seem bothered. Not the attitude I like to see.
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number8 added 19:38 - Aug 22 All this moaning. In the championship last time out he got 6 goals in 23 appearances Omari 10 in 44 appearances. Goals per game 3.83 compared to 4.4. Loads talking about how we have had our pants pulled down for me the jury is out and time will tell on that but if we have that’s ok as we have just recently acquired a new pair of pants from Forest!!!
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number8 added 19:41 - Aug 22 I obviously meant games per goal - ooops
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shakytown added 19:56 - Aug 22 Only 23 with plenty of upside. Welcome to Ipswich Kasey.
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Landlord added 20:02 - Aug 22 Welcome to the club lad our support should be guaranteed. Good or bad signing only time will tell COYB
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Bazza8564 added 20:03 - Aug 22 Young, hungry, athletic and good technically. Let's face it, we've taken a very good player from one of our promotion rivals and once again invested in potential development rather than holding onto 2 seasons ago sentimentality. The squad is building in just the way we were told it would, and there will be more to come. Ive added a few more morons to my "ignore user list again" Number 8, not going to mark you down for this, it's a genuine question, but Omari managed 2 assists in 31 games last season (which for me is a more meaningful stat) we''ve achieved nearly £38m and paid out £11m for a fella who seems genuinely thrilled to be with us. I count that, personally, as a great comparison

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blues1 added 20:31 - Aug 22 Johntalbot 56. You do realise we've sold omari? Thsts whycwe need another right winger. Yes, Clarke played well there last week but hes not a natural right sided player. Leaving us with just Ogbene there right now. So hardly a strange signing, is it?
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blues1 added 20:34 - Aug 22 TimmyH Whats strange about it? We needed a right winger with Omari gone. Thats what he is.
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blues1 added 20:42 - Aug 22 Churchmansn. Yes u read the comments of their equivalent of the moron fans( some, not all of course) that post on here. Dont suppose you read all the comments of those who are unhappy that they've sold him . Or u did, and have,chosen not to mention those. And there are plenty. Why would u listen to those fans anyway. Just saying it bcse they've sold him. Just as some on here were saying similar stuff about Omari after he left. It's just bs. Why not justxwait and see, and give thd guy a chance before writing him off. Something too many not willing to do, as always.

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rkl added 21:23 - Aug 22 Some Leicester fans seem to think he would be better as an attacking midfielder than as a winger.
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churchmans added 21:47 - Aug 22 Blues1 i will never take anything you say seriously! You and leejames omg!!! Just purveying the general concensus of the leicester forum,dont care if you dont like it! And i have not 'written him off' as you say! How can i if i have never seen him play!!!
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warktheline added 21:56 - Aug 22 This comes as a total surprise!! Blueboy category stated that Ipswich wouldn’t be signing another player and that the owners wanted out!!!! Is that enough explanation marks?
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TimmyH added 22:02 - Aug 22 blues1 - strange in the fact that Leicester a fellow promotion contender sells a player to us, if they rated him he would still be there.
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warktheline added 22:05 - Aug 22 I guess we all get things wrong!!! I spelt categorically incorrectly!!!!
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number8 added 23:01 - Aug 22 Bazza my point was this lad has a better ratio for his starts. I think we did very well out of Omari deal and at a third of the price of Omari this is for me genuinely a good punt. I think it could turn out very well. Just don’t get the negativity around it.
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