LEFT-BACK Aaron Cresswell has become Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell’s fourth summer signing.

The Blues have had two bids for the 21-year-old rejected by League One side Tranmere Rovers but are now free to sign him after his contract expired at the Merseyside club.

Due to the fact the left-footed set-piece specialist is under the age of 24, a Football League tribunal will now decide how much the Suffolk side will have to pay in compensation.

Town start pre-season training this morning and Cresswell is expected to join in with his new team-mates at Playford Road.

“We received two ‘proper’ offers from Championship clubs for Aaron which were rejected,” said Tranmere boss Les Parry. “Ipswich then increased their offer but it was still nowhere near our valuation.

“He is now free to sign for anybody else and a tribunal will settle the fee.

“I would have liked him to stay, but I’ve always said I take pride in seeing our players move up.”

Slight in build and just 5ft 5in tall, Cresswell – Liverpool-born, like Blues boss Jewell – was handed his Football League debut aged 19. In and out of the side during his first two seasons as a professional, he really caught the eye in the season just gone after being given a lengthy run in the side.

Solid and aggressive in defence, his most valuable weapon is the pin-point accuracy of his set-pieces and crosses.

Cresswell becomes Jewell’s fourth summer signing following the additions of strikers Michael Chopra and Nathan Ellington as well as centre-back Ivar Ingimarsson.

And following the sale of teen star Connor Wickham to Sunderland for an initial �8.1m this week, plenty more new faces are expected at Portman Road over the coming weeks.