Ipswich Town have kicked off their Premier League return in emphatic style, completing a £20m deal for Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu from Leicester City while Fulham centre-back Issa Diop closes in on a move to Portman Road.
Fatawu, 22, has signed a five-year contract and arrives with a World Cup pedigree, having played in all four of Ghana's games in Qatar. He scored 16 goals in 100 appearances for Leicester since joining from Sporting in 2023. “The ambition the club has is very exciting,” Fatawu said. “After speaking to the manager, I know what the expectation is.”
“Ipswich Town sign Abdul Fatawu for £20m and near Issa Diop deal as they prepare for Premier League.”
The Tractor Boys have been busy assembling a squad capable of staying up. Fatawu is their fifth summer signing, following striker Emersonn from Toulouse for a club-record £26m, defender Cedric Kipre, forward Chuba Akpom, and goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen. Manager Gary O’Neil now has the attacking depth to sanction the departure of winger Jaden Philogene, who is attracting interest from Bologna, Roma and Benfica.
Meanwhile, Ipswich are closing in on another World Cup performer. Issa Diop, the Fulham centre-back who played five times for Morocco this summer, is poised to join the club. The 29-year-old would add Premier League experience to a defence that conceded 46 goals in the Championship last season.
Leicester, relegated from the Championship, are now preparing for their second season in the third tier. For Ipswich, the stakes are higher: they finished second in the Championship and host Sunderland in their Premier League opener on 22 August. With Fatawu in the door and Diop expected to follow, the Tractor Boys are gambling that ambition can keep them in England's top flight.