Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Palacios has officially joined Ipswich Town on a four-year contract.

Ipswich Town announced on Thursday that they have signed Argentine midfielder Ezequiel Palacios from Bayer Leverkusen. The two sides signed a four-year contract, valid until June 30, 2030.

The official announcement also confirmed that Palacios will wear the number 25 jersey at Ipswich Town. His transfer fee is €22.5 million plus €5 million in add-ons, with a 10% resale value clause.

After completing the signing, Palacios could not hide his joy and excitement: "I am very happy to sign with Ipswich."

“Ipswich is an ambitious club. I’m really looking forward to playing in England and competing against the best clubs and players in the world.”

“I’m very happy to be able to communicate with everyone at the club. I can’t wait to meet everyone, fight alongside my teammates on the pitch, and see the fans as soon as possible.”

The 27-year-old Palacios came through River Plate's youth academy and made his professional debut for the Argentine Primera División on November 8, 2015. He has since grown into River Plate's midfield maestro, winning one Copa Libertadores title, one Copa Sudamericana title, and two Argentine Cup titles with the team.

In January 2020, Palacios joined Bayer Leverkusen from River Plate for €17 million. To date, he has made 186 appearances for Leverkusen, scoring 15 goals and providing 17 assists, winning the Bundesliga title and the German Cup with the team.

At the national team level, Palacios has also made significant contributions. To date, he has represented Argentina in two Copa America tournaments (2021, 2024), one European and American Cup, and two World Cups (2022, 2026), winning one World Cup trophy and two Copa America titles.

Regarding the transfer, Ipswich coach Gary O'Neill commented: "We are very pleased to have such a good player as Ezekiel on our team."

"As a player who has achieved true success in top-level competitions, he has not only won the highest honor of the World Cup, but also won many major trophies at the club level. His experience is invaluable to us, and we will continue to work on improving the team's squad this summer."

"We look forward to him getting back into training as soon as possible and can't wait to see him perform on the field."

Image source: Internet/X