The details: Ipswich Town has signed Republic of Ireland international Dara O'Shea from Burnley for an initial £12 million, with potential add-ons of up to £3 million.
The 25-year-old brings valuable top-flight experience, having made 61 Premier League appearances across stints with Burnley (2023/24 season) and West Bromwich Albion (2020/21).
On the pitch: O'Shea is a modern centre back with all the right attributes to fit with Town's squad. He's strong in the air, having won 65% of his aerial duels in the Premier League last season.
He also made zero errors leading to goals conceded last season, and scored three goals for Burnley in the top flight.
O'Shea's passing ability complements Town's style of play. Last season, O'Shea completed around ~52 passes per game with a pass completion rate of 79%. For context, so far this season Luke Wolfenden has completed ~51 passes per game with an 80% completion rate.
Zoom out: The Irish defender, who has earned 26 caps for his country, is expected to slot into Kieran McKenna's starting lineup. His arrival provides Ipswich with depth and flexibility across the backline, with two players for each position:
DL: Leif Davis, Connor Townsend
DC(L): Jacob Greaves, Cameron Burgess
DC(R): Dara O'Shea, Luke Wolfenden
DR: Axel Tuanzebe, Ben Johnson
What's next: O'Shea's arrival could pave the way for George Edmundson's departure, with the club potentially exploring loan or permanent options for the defender.
Town are also thought to be continuing their search for a striker as the collapse of the Armando Broja deal looks increasingly likely. The transfer window closes on Friday at 11pm.
