Ipswich Town beat competition from Beşiktaş, Trabzonspor, West Ham United and several Saudi Pro League clubs to secure the signing of Ghana international Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, with the winger set to sign a long-term contract, a source close to the player has told Footy-Africa.
The 22-year-old is expected to travel to England this week to complete the formalities of his move after Leicester City accepted an improved offer worth around £20 million.
According to the source, Ipswich’s pursuit was far from straightforward. The Premier League club saw an opening offer of around £10 million rejected immediately by Leicester, who considered it well below their valuation of the winger.
Rather than walk away, Ipswich returned with a significantly improved bid that met Leicester’s expectations, paving the way for an agreement despite reports suggesting Fatawu had a £30 million release clause.
The source revealed that Turkish giants Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor both made serious attempts to sign the Black Stars winger during the transfer window, while Saudi Pro League clubs also expressed interest in securing his services.
West Ham United were another club to enter the race, but their offer fell short of Leicester City’s asking price, allowing Ipswich to move into pole position.
Beyond meeting Leicester’s valuation, Ipswich also convinced the player with their long-term sporting project and the opportunity to remain in the Premier League following Leicester City’s successive relegations.
Fatawu has spent the past two weeks on holiday in Ghana but is now set to cut short his break and return to England to undergo a medical before signing his long-term contract.
