Boniface Joins Orient On Loan
Tuesday, 28th Jul 2026 18:52

Blues youngster Somto Boniface has joined League One Leyton Orient on loan for the season.

Left-back Boniface, 20, joined Town from Chelsea in February 2025 and has been a regular for the U21s. He has been on the bench for the first time on seven occasions but without making his debut.

“I’m very excited to be joining the club for the season,” the England U20 international said. “I’m fully committed to giving this everything I have and I am looking forward to meeting all of our fans at our stadium.

“I feel like this is the next natural step in my career. I came to meet the gaffer and [director of football] Scott Mitchell on Monday and they explained to me in real detail where they see me fitting in.

“I am focused on my defensive work but most of all I like to get forward and make things happen in attacking areas.”

O’s head coach and one-time Blues loanee Richie Wellens added: “Every player we have had from Ipswich has been excellent and I hope that Somto will be the next to join that list.

“He is predominantly a left-back but can play at right-back, too. He is quick, athletic, he can go past people and is the profile of full-back that we want.

“As well as going past people on the outside, he can also come inside and play as a midfield player. Tactically, he is very adaptable and he adds a lot of pace to the team. I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

Mitchell, a former Town player and academy coach and head of recruitment, continued: “Somto is a very exciting young player, who has had a fantastic footballing education at both Chelsea and Ipswich Town. He is a front-footed full-back who we believe can make a positive impact at both ends of the pitch for us.

“He has excelled in Premier League 2 in recent years and now the challenge for him is to come to Leyton Orient and fight for his place in a senior team. Somto is another good character and I’m sure he will fit into our dressing room seamlessly.”

We understand Town have been looking to get winger Tudor Mendel out on loan to a League One club this summer.

Photo: Matchday Images

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cartman1972 added 19:05 - Jul 28 Good move for the young lad
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trevski_s added 19:13 - Jul 28 Really good move for Boniface. I was hoping he would go to either a championship or league 1 club. Go smash it there and maybe next season could be pushing for the senior squad
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Hermann_eats_puffin added 19:23 - Jul 28 That seems like a good move for him and good luck Somoto for the season ahead in L1 at Leyton Orient!
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armchaircritic59 added 19:24 - Jul 28 Very good move for the lad and continuing Ipswich connections. Good luck to him.
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jas0999 added 19:27 - Jul 28 Great move for him …
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Cookieboy added 19:31 - Jul 28 Does anybody know if ITFC make money from loaning players out ???
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TheGentlemanViking added 19:39 - Jul 28 Good move for him, playing under a good coach. Hope he has a really positive season, he's one I'm eager to see make the step up.
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algarvefan added 19:40 - Jul 28 Good luck Somto, go show them how it's done lad.
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OliveR16 added 19:41 - Jul 28 Cookieboy - Not sure what ytou mean. Plainly the host club pay part of his wages - so yes. They also add to his value so another yes. Though I'd like to think we want the best for him mainly. Premier League clubs do not really need the small amount of money involved.
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blues1 added 19:48 - Jul 28 Cookieboy .Orient have to pay a loan fee. And part of his wages. Wexpay the other portion of his wages. So yes, i guess we make some money out of it. While also giving the player a chance of some game time.
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Ipswichtown4life added 21:42 - Jul 28 Delighted to hear this, Boniface and mendel are the future. fletcher and co are prob next year
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Len_Brennan added 06:46 - Jul 29

With Johnson & Greaves having deputised at left back last season in the Championship, and also having Cam Humphreys who has also played there for us, Boniface is a fair distance away from making the breakthrough for us, which is a pity seeing that LB is his dedicated position, unlike the other 3.
We are also likely to sign a replacement for Conor Townsend in the coming days, so this loan is probably with a view to securing a transfer fee for him at the end of the season, given that he'll be 21 by then, without Championship experience, & hopefully we'll still be a PL club.

rugbytomc added 06:48 - Jul 29 Hope they give him more minutes than Barbrook. The club must trust they will or they wouldn’t have sent another player there. Excited to see what he can do
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LeightonBuzzardBlue added 13:41 - Jul 29 @rugbytomc I think you're thinking of Lincoln! Barbrook's never play for the Orient. Really great move for Somto, that left hand side of Boniface, Dobra and El Mizouni will be an exciting watch - as a East London local I'll have to try and catch a couple of games!
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Bazza8564 added 14:57 - Jul 29 A good year there and hopefully e can add him to the defensive pool for next season. I like the fact that so many of our defenders can play in multiple positions too
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