Ipswich complete moves for Matusiwa & Kipre

Azor Matusiwa played in the Europa League for Rennes during the 2023-24 season

Ipswich Town have signed Dutch midfielder Azor Matusiwa from Rennes for an undisclosed fee and brought in Reims defender Cedric Kipre on a season-long loan.

Matusiwa, 27, has agreed a four-year deal at Portman Road following 29 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes last season, scoring one goal.

He began his career in the Ajax youth system in his native Netherlands before spells at De Graafschap and Groningen. He joined Reims in 2021 and then Rennes in last year's January transfer window.

Kipre, meanwhile, has plenty of experience of English football with Wigan, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City - the latter a loan spell in 2022-23.

Cedric Kipre began his career in the youth set-up at Leicester City

The Ivory Coast international, 28, made 28 appearances for Reims last season after joining them from West Brom.

The Ligue 2 club said the loan agreement with Ipswich includes an option to buy.

"I spoke with the manager and I really liked what he said about the way he wants to work," Kipre told the Ipswich website. "He wants to work hard – I also want to work hard."

Following their relegation from the Premier League, the Tractor Boys begin the new Championship season with an away game against Birmingham City on Friday, 8 August.