Ipswich Town have returned to the Premier League and are set to obliterate their transfer record this summer after agreeing a club record deal for Omari Hutchinson.
With that in mind, Ross Halls takes a look at the Blues’ current top five biggest buys in the club’s history….
The signings all came at the beginning of this century when Town were returning to the top flight and all fees are based on reporting at the time.
Signed from: Sampdoria
Transfer fee: £4.75m
Town’s record signing to date remains the Italian goalkeeper, who joined the Blues in the summer of 2001 after George Burley’s men finished fifth in the top flight and qualified for Europe.
Sereni made 33 appearances during his one season at Portman Road, producing some memorable saves but also making a handful of errors. He lost his place to Andy Marshall for a spell as the club suffered relegation back to the second tier.
He duly returned to Italy on loan to Brescia, before signing for Lazio on a permanent deal in the summer of 2003.
HERMANN HREIDARSSON
Signed from: Wimbledon
Transfer fee: £4.5m
The Icelandic star justified his transfer fee after joining the Blues following promotion in 2000 and quickly became a fan favourite during his time at the club.
Hreidarsson was a vital part of the side which finished fifth in the Premier League and will be remembered for diving into the North Stand when he thought he had scored against Bradford – when Mark Burchill actually did.
He made 128 appearances for Town before he moved on to Charlton Athletic for a cut-price fee in the fire-sale which followed administration in 2003.
FINIDI GEORGE
Signed from: Mallorca
Transfer fee: £3.1m
The most intriguing new arrival during George Burley’s 2001 summer rebuild was the acquisition of the Nigerian, who was a Champions League winner with Ajax and represented his country at two World Cups.
George showed his class at times, netting twice on his home debut against Derby and scoring arguably the goal of the season when he chipped home beautifully against Sunderland in a big win at Portman Road.
In total, he scored eight goals in 46 games during his two seasons at the club, which overall were underwhelming, and returned to Mallorca in the summer of 2003.
MARCUS BENT
Signed from: Blackburn Rovers
Transfer fee: £3m
The striker joined the Blues in mid-season of their second top flight campaign and he went on a run of six goals in six games to help the side move out of the drop zone and and firmly into mid-table.
However, the escape wasn’t to be as Town nose-dived in the final weeks and were relegated, with Bent ending the campaign having netted 10 goals in all competitions.
He was then in and out of the Ipswich side in Division One before being loaned to Leicester City and then sold to Everton for £450,000 in the summer of 2004.
MARCUS STEWART
Signed from: Huddersfield Town
Transfer fee: £2.75m
Looking back this was a bargain, especially given it was a signing from a promotion rival, and the forward was worth every penny as his goals helped Town return to the big time in 2000.
The following season Stewart scored 19 goals – the most prolific English goalscorer in the top tier – as Town finished fifth in the table, but somehow he didn’t get a call-up for his country.
He had to be sold soon after relegation, with him moving on to Sunderland. In total, the Blues’ legend notched 37 times in 93 appearances during his time at Portman Road.
OTHER BIG BUYS
The next era of spending at Town came following the Marcus Evans’ Ipswich takeover in 2007 when the former owner chased a return to the big time with some big cash purchases.
Midfielder David Norris was the first big fee, whom Jim Magilton signed from Plymouth Argyle for £2.25m, before Roy Keane was able to spend some cash as he brought in Grant Leadbitter from Sunderland for £2.65m and Tamas Priskin from Watford for £1.7m.
Since the American takeover in 2021, the Blues have been spending money again with Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst joining for £1.5m from Everton and Leicester respectively.
Jack Taylor was signed for close to £1.5m from Peterborough United and Leif Davis moved to the club from Leeds for £1.2m.
All of these records look set to tumble this summer as the club gear up for the Premier League though – the only question is… how many times will the Blues break their old transfer record?
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