Leicester City forward George Hirst has completed a move to fellow Championship side, Ipswich Town for an undisclosed fee.
The 24-year-old joined the Foxes in 2019 and has since spent time on loan at Rotherham United, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers and also spent last season on loan at Ipswich.
The English striker made his Premier League debut for Leicester in 2020, away to Tottenham Hotspur, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The reported fee is supposedly £1.5million, which represents a fee substantially below the £4m which had been thought earlier in the month.
The striker bagged seven goals for Ipswich last season as he contributed to the promotion and title win while on loan but now has signed a four-year deal with the Blues.
Hirst reacts to his move
Hirst was seemingly buzzing upon his return to Portman Road as he praised the club for how welcoming they were in his initial six months at the club.
He said: “Ipswich has felt like home for the last six months and that’s a big part of why I wanted to come back here so much.
“The last few months of last season were massive for me, doing what we did as a team, and that was something I wanted to carry on being part of for sure.
“The reception I got from the fans, players and staff here was brilliant, so I’m delighted to be back here and I’m looking forward to the challenge of the Championship.”
The former England youth star praised Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna and gave him the credit for improvements in his game.
“The manager improved my game massively and he’s probably the best I’ve worked with, both him and his staff, and it helped my development no end. Once you have got that taste you don’t want to go back.
“He has been absolutely amazing for me – long may it continue.”
McKenna reacts to the capture of Hirst
McKenna emphasised his joy to have signed Hirst permanently as well, saying:
“We’re delighted to have George with us permanently,” he explained.
“He is at a good age and hopefully has his best years ahead of him. He has the potential to improve and the willingness to learn and show he can be a really good forward at the next level.
“We think this is the right team for him to do that in and he thinks the same, so that makes for a really good move for all parties.”