Ipswich complete first summer signing moments after securing Premier League promotion

Ipswich Town have signed Cedric Kipre on a permanent deal following their promotion to the Premier League.

The 29-year-old has been on a season-long loan from French club Reims and has featured in 22 Championship games.

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There was an obligation in the agreement that meant Ipswich would make the move permanent in the event of promotion back to the Premier League.

That obligation is believed to be in the region of £3.9million.

Kipre also confirmed it himself before the end of the season.

“Yes, that’s right,” the centre-back confirmed.

“Of course, that’s what I want. Hopefully we get promoted and I can stay here because I enjoy it very much.”

He added: “My dream has always been to play in the Premier League. This is why I came here.”

The Tractor Boys secured their immediate return to the Premier League on Saturday with a 3-0 win over QPR at Portman Road.

Ipswich were relegated in the 2024/25 season with just 22 points, but manager Kieran McKenna has fired them straight back.

They needed to win on that final day to secure second and avoid the agony of the play-offs.

McKenna’s verdict

Speaking to talkSPORT after they had won promotion, McKenna said: “It’s a lot of the same emotions, a lot more similar than different. There’s probably a touch more relief to this one really. 

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“The last one, it was just an incredible journey, once in a lifetime for everyone involved in it. This one’s been a little bit different but just as difficult, if not more so.

“A real relief to win it on the last day and to see everyone happy and not disappoint everyone.”

He added: “I think there’s some characters in there that have really stepped up. It’s not been easy for the boys in the dressing room. 

“We lost so many important figures, leaders around the club this summer. It’s been a challenge because you’ve got a lot of boys who joined us from the Championship to the Premier League and didn’t win many games.

“They tried their best and we all tried our best but didn’t win many games. So for them boys then, they don’t have the confidence and they haven’t established themselves at the club. 

“They haven’t won games here, scored goals here, or had clean sheets here. So it’s difficult for them to build that over the course of the season and then other players of course who only joined us this summer.

“So it’s been a challenge for the group to stick together and pull through some struggles. We’ve had some brilliant days in the season as well and I’m really happy and I think we’ve seen them grow. 

“Certainly in terms of character, I think some of them have really grown in front of us over the course of the season.”