Ipswich Town complete Florentino Luis signing after beating Hull City to Burnley midfielder

Ipswich Town have completed the signing of Florentino Luis from Burnley after agreeing a deal worth an initial £16 million, with a further £3m in performance-related add-ons.

The Portuguese midfielder has successfully completed his medical and will officially join Gary O'Neil's side on a five-year contract until the summer of 2031, bringing an end to one of the Championship's most closely watched transfer battles.

FootballPlace revealed on 2 August that Ipswich had moved into pole position for the 26-year-old after Hull City accepted defeat in the race for his signature. Just two days later, the deal has now been finalised.

Earlier this week, FootballPlace reported that Ipswich had overtaken Hull City in the race after Tigers head coach Sergej Jakirović admitted his club had missed out.

"I think that he will not come to us," Jakirović said.

"I think that he will go to another club, though I don't know which one. His move, I believe, will be a permanent transfer, so we don't have a chance with that because we want to loan him from Burnley."

Ipswich's willingness to complete a permanent transfer proved decisive, allowing the Suffolk club to secure one of their priority midfield targets.

Florentino arrives at Portman Road following just one season at Burnley after the Clarets activated the mandatory purchase clause in his loan agreement from Benfica.

The defensive midfielder made 31 appearances during the 2025/26 campaign, providing valuable experience after previously winning two Primeira Liga titles and featuring regularly in the UEFA Champions League with Benfica.

His arrival comes at an important time for Ipswich, who have been short of midfield options throughout pre-season.

Azor Matusiwa and Jack Taylor continue their recoveries from end-of-season surgery, while academy prospects have been required to step into senior training sessions.

The addition of Florentino gives O'Neil an experienced holding midfielder capable of shielding the defence and dictating play from deep.

Ipswich's agreement reflects the club's growing ambition following promotion.

The package could rise to £19 million if all add-on clauses are achieved, underlining the club's belief that Florentino can become a cornerstone of the midfield over the coming seasons.

By handing the Portuguese international a contract until 2031, Ipswich have also demonstrated their long-term commitment to the 26-year-old.

Key points

Florentino is expected to officially join his new teammates immediately after the completion of the remaining administrative formalities.

Attention will now turn to his integration into Gary O'Neil's squad as Ipswich continue preparations for the new season, with the midfielder expected to compete for a starting role from the opening weeks of the campaign.