Ipswich Town have completed the signing of Bristol Rovers striker Ellis Harrison for an initial fee of £750,000.
The 24-year-old was in Suffolk yesterday to finalise personal terms and to undergo a medical, with the deal now complete.
The Blues have beaten off competition from Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn for the forward, with the overall deal potentially worth more than £1million should a number of clauses be met. These are likely to be related to appearances, goals and Ipswich potentially winning promotion to the Premier League.
He has signed a two-year contract at Portman Road, with the club holding the option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.
“He gives us something different at the top end of the pitch,” Town boss Paul Hurst said.
“He’s a youngish player who has come up through the leagues and last season he put together a year when he scored 14 goals.
“He’s athletic, leads the line well. He has a good work ethic, good mobility and has a good leap on him.
“We are getting a player that will be thinking he has something to prove at this level and I like that. That’s the sort of player we are trying to bring in. He will definitely give us another option up front.”
The Welsh striker has become Ipswich manager Hurst’s fourth summer signing since taking over at Portman Road, following the arrivals of wingers Jordan Roberts and Gwion Edwards as well as versatile Chelsea teenager Trevoh Chalobah.
Harrison graduated from the Rovers youth system and has made a total of 116 starts and 88 substitute appearances, yielding 49 goals, with 14 of those coming last season.
He enjoyed success as a lone striker for Rovers during the 2017/18 season, with his pace, heading ability and hold-up playing making him a real asset as Darrell Clarke’s side finished 13th in League One.
Harrison worked under the tutelage of former Ipswich Town striker Marcus Stewart during much of his time at the Memorial Stadium, with the incoming Blues striker grateful for the help Rovers’ assistant manager has given him.
“The shooting sessions with him (Stewart) are class,” Harrison said last season.
“I didn’t get a chance to watch him play, but he’s a great coach.”
He arrives at a time when the future of the Blues’ leading goalscorer from last season, Martyn Waghorn, is in doubt.
Sheffield United remain keen on the 28-year-old and had a bid of just under £5million quickly rejected earlier in the summer, before manager Chris Wilder insisted an offer remains on the table for a player he claims the Blues value at between £8m-£10m.
It is understood, though, that Ipswich have received just one offer from the Blades for the 16-goal forward during the off-season.
Both Waghorn and Harrison could be involved for the Blues tomorrow night as Hurst’s men take on MK Dons in their penultimate pre-season game.
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