Panutche Camara will be ‘like a new signing for Ipswich Town’ when he makes a long-awaited debut at Cambridge tomorrow night.

He is a new signing, of course, but not one we’ve seen on the field in the near-two months since his arrival from Plymouth for around £500,000.

That’s because he came to Portman Road nursing a groin problem which kept him sidelined throughout pre-season at Argyle, meaning he hasn’t kicked a ball in anger since his last appearance in green in the middle of April.

He initially trained with his new Ipswich team-mates in the days after arriving but it quickly became clear to the Town medical staff that his groin issue required a proper intervention, with manager Kieran McKenna saying he wanted his new signing to have a ‘proper, fresh run at it’.

And now it’s time for that run to start, with a debut expected in the Papa John’s Trophy tomorrow night after a good training session on Saturday morning, while his team-mates were preparing for their game with Lincoln City.

He’ll need to be eased in of course, given how long he’s been out, so he’s certainly not expected to play the full 90 minutes at the Abbey Stadium. But the contest does provide the perfect opportunity for Camara to begin his Ipswich career in earnest.

If he starts he could well partner youngster Cameron Humphreys in the middle of midfield, with Dominic Ball suspended having picked up two yellow cards in the competition already this season.

Seeing him play an hour, or even 45 minutes, will be really positive, while the 25-year-old will no doubt have been extremely frustrated by his Town false start.

Camara’s arrival on deadline day was greeted positively, given he has impressed during the last two seasons at Plymouth and earned the tag as being ‘one of the best midfielders in League One’ from some quarters.

But there are certainly some questions about where he might fit into this team in the long-term, given his skillset and the competition around him.

Captain Sam Morsy is written onto the Town team-sheet in ink, while Lee Evans is enjoying an excellent season at the heart of this Ipswich side. There is no vacancy there at this point, that’s for sure.

Not long-term, anyway. We recently saw Ball take Evans’ place for the league game with Cambridge, before the Welshman entered the contest and helped turn it in Town’s favour, while Morsy is only one yellow card away from a one-match ban.

That suspension will surely come at some point, though it remains to be seen whether Camara is up-to-speed in time to be the man to potentially take his place. He may need to be patient as he’s factored into Ipswich’s League One plans.

Camara can run all day and will certainly bring energy and a bit of drive to the Ipswich Town midfield, with McKenna admitting recently he’s looking forward to seeing the impact his new piece can make.

"Pan has obviously been a high performer in the league over the last couple of seasons,” McKenna said, following his signing.

“He's a player that really stood out for us last season when we were watching Plymouth. He has very much been on the radar since.

"We felt like we needed that extra attacking midfield option who can fulfil a couple of different roles.”

Camara’s biggest attribute is his engine. He can run all day and has previously said ‘I have so much energy. When I go on the pitch I can't stop running. I give everything. I give my heart."

So, while he may possibly not quite have the technical ability of some of his team-mates, it’s clear he will bring energy, fitness and hard work to the team.

He can play in a deeper role and, in many ways, may be well-suited to replacing Morsy, as and when the need arrives.

But there is also a suggestion he can play higher up the pitch too. That’s a position Ipswich are well-stocked in, with Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin, Marcus Harness, Kyle Edwards and Tyreece John-Jules all capable of playing in the three positions behind the central striker. There’s also Sone Aluko to factor in when he returns from injury, too.

So there is no clear path to the starting XI for Camara at this moment, though Ipswich’s recent injury issues show just how vital squad depth and adaptability can be during a promotion challenge.

That’s the real plus of Camara’s return. He’s a new signing who can play in multiple positions and will be raring to go, looking to make a good impression at his new club and looking to force his way into the side.

The best thing about seeing players make their debuts is the blank canvas with which they start. We think we know what Camara can bring to this Ipswich side but the possibilities, at this point, are endless.

Patience will be needed, as well as an acknowledgment that this is a man who hasn't played competitive football in six months. So there will no doubt be rust needing to be shaken off.

But tomorrow night, finally, the midfielder will get the chance to get his Ipswich career off and running.