Ipswich Town to sign Cedric Kipre and Azor Matusiwa.

Ipswich Town are closing in on acquiring Cedric Kipre and Azor Matusiwa from French clubs Reims and Rennes, respectively.

According to the EADT and Ipswich Star, defender Kipre is close to signing a season-long loan deal, while a €9 million cost has been agreed upon for Dutch midfielder Matusiwa. Kipre, 28, is a muscular centre-back who has made 180 Championship games for Wigan, Cardiff, and West Bromwich.

According to L’Equipe, if the Blues are promoted back to the Premier League in 2025/26, there will be a €4.5 million buyout clause.

Reunited with former teammates Alex Palmer, Christian Walton, Sam Morsy, Dara O’Shea, and Conor Townsend at Portman Road, his defensive flexibility will assist replace the losses left by Cameron Burgess and Axel Tuanzebe.

Matusiwa is an Ajax Academy graduate. Some have dubbed him ‘the Dutch N’Golo Kante’ due to his tireless running, tackling, and interception statistics.

The 27-year-old began his career at his native Groningen before playing three years with French club Reims before signing for Rennes for a record €16 million in January 2024.

He will compete alongside Sam Morsy, Jack Taylor, and Cameron Humphreys in a midfield that has lost Jens Cajuste, Kalvin Phillips, and Massimo Luongo as a result of relegation.

The pair will be the club’s first major acquisitions this summer, following Reading’s free transfer of veteran custodian David Button. The 27-year-old began his career at Groningen in his home country before spending three years with French club Reims before joining Rennes for a whopping €16 million in January 2024.

He’ll provide some much-needed strengthening to a midfield unit that saw Jens Cajuste, Kalvin Phillips and Massimo Luongo depart following relegation, providing competition to Sam Morsy, Jack Taylor and Cameron Humphreys.

The duo will become the club’s first major signings of the summer following the free transfer addition of veteran keeper David Button from Reading.

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