Ashton: If It Was the Other Way Around I Wouldn't Have Sold to Norwich
Tuesday, 18th Nov 2025 20:33

Blues chairman and CEO Mark Ashton says he didn’t think Town would sign Marcelino Nunez when making an approach to Norwich City for the Chilean international was first mooted, and admits he wouldn’t have sold to the Canaries if roles had been reversed.

Nunez, 25, became the first player to join Town from their Norfolk rivals in 23 years when he was signed for an initial £7.5 million in August.

Asked how the deal came about at this evening’s Fans’ Forum at Portman Road, Ashton smiled and sung ‘he’s in your head’ under his breath before answering.

“I’ll have to be careful what I say!” he laughed. “Like any other player, he was a player that came through through the process.

“We made an approach. I must admit, when we first discussed it I think my reaction was ‘we won’t get him’.

“I’ll be honest, if it was the other way around I wouldn’t have sold to them. I just think it would have been too noisy and I think it would have caused us problems, but the other way around for whatever reason they made the decision to do that deal.

“I think we paid good market price and I think we’ve acquired a very talented young man who’s absolutely buzzing to be here!”

Manager Kieran McKenna, sitting alongside Ashton and Ed Schwartz from majority shareholder, added: “Yeah, I can reiterate that! No, look, the boring answer for me is that it wasn’t about what club you’re signing him from, it’s about trying to bring a player to the club who we think would fit

“Of course, you know that it’s going to be a little bit noisy for the for the transfer that it was, but I think he’s dealt with that really well.

“As Mark says, he’s certainly enjoying himself. It takes some bravery to make the move, but he’s determined to do what’s best for his career.

“And again, it’s great that he felt that coming to Ipswich was the best thing for his career, the best chance for him to develop, improve, play in a good team at a brilliant club and hopefully play Premier League football in his time at the club. So I think it’s brilliant that he saw this is the place he wanted to do that.”

Norwich City owner Mark Attanasio recently admitted that the decision to sell Nunez to the Blues was an “own goal”.

Earlier this evening, Nunez started and won his 33rd Chile cap as his side beat Peru 2-1 in their second Russia-based friendly in Sochi. The midfielder had been an unused sub in the 2-0 victory over Russia.

Photo: TownTV

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