Ipswich Town have completed the signing of attacker Chiedozie Ogbene from Luton Town for a fee of £8 million.
Ogbene has penned a four-year deal with the Tractor Boys and he becomes their 12th signing this summer.
Ipswich Town had been searching for another forward despite doling out nearly £100 million this summer after winger Wes Burns sustained a hamstring problem in their 2-0 opening-day defeat to Liverpool.
Speaking after signing for the Tractor Boys, Chiedozie Ogbene expressed that he feels lucky to be given the opportunity to play in the Premier League again.
He said: “I’m very excited and feel lucky to have this opportunity to play in the Premier League again.”
Ogbene added that he had “positive” talks with Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna before opting to join the club.
Chiedozie Ogbene shared: “I’ve had very positive chats with the manager [Kieran McKenna] and for someone to believe in me, that I could play at this level again, means a lot to me and my family.”
Additionally, Ogbene indicates that he is aware of what McKenna wants from him and he is at the Portman Road side “to be a positive addition to the squad as we look to achieve our goals.”
The Ireland international, who also in the past played for Cork, Limerick, and Brentford, joined Luton Town from Rotherham on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.
Chiedozie Ogbene In The Premier League
Chiedozie Ogbene impressed in the Premier League, despite the Hatters’ relegation, as he netted 5 goals in 39 games across all competitions.
Ogbene was also the second fastest top-flight player last season, after Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven, having clocked 36.93kph against Fulham in September 2023.
Meanwhile, Ipswich Town apparently are not done with business this summer, as they remain in talks with Chelsea for striker Armando Broja.
The Tractor Boys want to secure the services of Broja to add more firepower to their squad as they hope to beat the drop this season.
They return to action on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, with a game against AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup.
Celtic Sign Left-back Alex Valle From Barcelona On Loan
Celtic have completed the signing of left-back Alex Valle from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal.
Valle, who came through the Spanish club’s La Masia academy, was an unused substitute in Barcelona’s opening 2 La Liga matches this campaign.
The 20-year-old becomes the 5th signing made by Celtic this summer, having already secured the services of Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, and Viljami Sinisalo.
Former Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has also joined the club on a free transfer this summer.
Celtic sold Matt O’Riley to Brighton this week and boss Brendan Rodgers has been clear that more players would join the Scottish giants before the deadline of the 2024 summer transfer window.
Valle was on loan at Levante last season, and he made 29 appearances for the Spanish second-tier side, scoring no goal and providing no assists in all competitions.
He is expected to provide competition for Greg Taylor, as Celtic hunt for major honors in the 2024/25 season.
Alex Valle’s Comments After Signing For Celtic
Speaking after signing for Celtic, Alex Valle shared that he is excited to play for the club.
He said: “They have given me a lot of confidence to come here, so I will try to do my best to return the confidence,” the Spain youth international added.
“I’ve heard a lot about the fans and what we can experience in this stadium, so I’m just excited to see it in real life.”
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers also spoke highly about the left-back, expressing that Valle “is a player with some tremendous attributes”.
The former Liverpool manager said: “His footballing style will complement our attacking play as well as give us more options in our backline.
“Alex has been brought up in a real high-quality footballing environment learning all the good habits and skills associated with any top team. He is a player with some tremendous attributes.”
Chelsea Indicate Interest In Signing Ivan Toney
Chelsea have approached Brentford over the signature of England international Ivan Benjamin Toney.
The Blues are keen on signing a proven goalscorer, as they look to sort their goalscoring issues.
They have also been linked with a move for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer, but they are yet to reach an agreement with the involved parties.
Reports indicate that Chelsea are eyeing Toney due to his scoring record, his Premier League experience, his relatively low wages, and the fact he has only one year left on his contract.
However, any deal for the striker will only occur if the transfer fee and wages are at a reasonable level.
Toney has a mouth-watering offer from Al Ahli and Chelsea would not be able to match the wages on offer from the Saudi Arabian side.
However, the Blues are confident that offering the chance for him to continue playing Premier League football alongside the opportunity to remain in West London will convince him to join the Stamford Bridge club.
Moreover, Al Ahli are yet to match up with Brentford’s asking price for the England international, and as such, a deal has not been struck yet, despite personal terms being agreed between Ivan Toney and the Pro League club.
Al Ahli have within their ranks former Premier League stars, including Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, and Roberto Firmino.
Toney is yet to feature for Brentford this campaign and it is because of the interest of clubs in his services.
