Ipswich complete Kourouma deal

Published Sep. 15, 2012 7:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Ipswich have finally completed the signing of Cheick Kourouma after authorities gave the deal a green light.

Kourouma agreed a deal at Portman Road before the new season got underway but the transfer was held up due to Ipswich needing clearance from eight clubs he represented as a junior before it could be finalised.

Town registered the necessary paperwork by the transfer deadline and the deal has now received the go-ahead from the relevant authorities.

The 20-year-old, who impressed manager Paul Jewell while on trial with the Tractor Boys over the summer, joins on a free transfer following his release by Genoa at the end of last season.

"It's been an area of particular frustration for me in how long this process has taken," Town's chief executive Simon Clegg told the club's official website.

"Despite none of these clubs offering him a professional contract, under the relatively new FIFA compensation regulations, we could have been liable for nearly 250,000 Euros compensation to these clubs.

"Despite some of these clubs not even having any record of Cheick having been there, the mere sniff of compensation from an English Championship club had suddenly got them all very excited."

Town boss Jewell admits he didn't think the deal would go through at one stage and said: "There was so much red tape involved and clubs were coming out of the woodwork that it looked like it was not going to work.

"I was disappointed for the lad but the club have cut their way through the red tape and got over the line in the end."