Ipswich Town have strengthened their squad ahead of their return to the Premier League by signing winger Julio Enciso and midfielder Abdoul Ouattara from French side Strasbourg, with both players putting pen to paper on five-year deals at Portman Road.
The move reunites both players with head coach Gary O'Neil, who worked with the duo during his time in charge at Strasbourg last season. Reports suggest the combined fee for the pair could rise to as much as £47.3m depending on add-ons, making it one of the more significant outlays of Ipswich's summer transfer business.
Enciso, a 22-year-old Paraguay international, is no stranger to English football or to the Suffolk club. He previously spent three years with Brighton before joining Ipswich on loan for the second half of the 2024-25 season. That spell clearly left an impression, as the winger returns to a club he has fond memories of.
"I am so happy to be back at Ipswich Town," Enciso said. "I really enjoyed my time on loan at the club and I was so happy to see them win promotion back to the Premier League last season. I worked with the manager in France last season and the chance to play for him again at a great club like Ipswich is one I'm very excited for."
Ouattara, a 20-year-old Ivory Coast international, arrives with a growing reputation after an impressive campaign in Ligue 1. The midfielder made 45 appearances for Strasbourg last season and was a key part of the squad that reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League, experience that could prove valuable as Ipswich look to establish themselves back in the top flight.
"I am still young but have had some good experiences already and I can't wait to meet the fans and my team-mates and get started," Ouattara said following the completion of his move.
The capture of Enciso and Ouattara continues what has been an extraordinarily busy and expensive summer for Ipswich since they secured promotion from the Championship. The club has now spent in the region of £150m on new recruits, with the Strasbourg pair representing the 11th and 12th major signings of the transfer window. That level of investment underlines the ambition at Portman Road as O'Neil looks to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League.
Having worked with both players in France, O'Neil will be hoping that familiarity translates into a smooth integration into his squad, with pre-season preparations now shifting toward getting the new arrivals up to speed before the competitive action begins.
Ipswich will kick off their Premier League campaign at home against Sunderland on 22 August, a fixture that will offer an early indication of how the club's summer rebuild is shaping up. With significant funds committed to strengthening multiple areas of the squad, expectations will be high that the Tractor Boys can make a more sustained impact in the top flight than in previous campaigns.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.