New Ipswich Town striker Joe Garner says the attraction of working with Mick McCarthy was a big factor in his decision to join the Blues.

The 29-year-old became McCarthy’s first signing of the summer earlier this month, moving to Suffolk after almost a year spent in Scotland with Glasgow Rangers.

The former Preston North End forward scored 10 goals in 34 games for the Ibrox club last season and could have stayed to fight for his place.

However, McCarthy’s interest in Garner tempted the Blackburn-born man away from the SPL – the 5ft 10ins forward insisting he has unfinished business in the Championship.

“I could have stayed at Rangers but a lot of new staff came in, with a lot of new foreign players from Mexico and Portugal, and once I heard of the opportunity here, I could not turn it down,” Garner explained.

“I spoke to a few clubs, but once I spoke to the gaffer, this is where I wanted to come. I have played against his teams before and I know how he sets up and works.”

Garner scored six goals for Preston in the Championship during the 2015-16 season and also has experience of the division, having played for Nottingham Forest and Watford.

He is therefore well-versed on the challenges ahead of him.

“It’s a tough, tough league and there will be three-quarters of the teams in the league pushing for the play-offs and hopefully we will be one of them if we work hard in pre-season and buy into what the gaffer wants to do,” Garner added.

“The Championship is probably the toughest league I have ever played in but I am looking forward to it, there are some good games coming up and with the fans behind us, some good days are ahead hopefully.”

Garner is one of two new faces at Portman Road, along with Jordan Spence, and could soon be joined by ex-Cardiff City midfielder Tom Adeyemi, who was on-loan at Rotherham last season.

Rotherham manager Paul Warne, who wanted to take Adeyemi back to South Yorkshire, said: “I offered him a brilliant deal. He wants to stay in the Championship.

“He’s hoping to get it sorted this week.

“I reckon he will be going to Norwich or Ipswich.

“I’d still take him if I could. He brings goals to the team.”