Ipswich Town Strengthens Squad with Enciso and Ouattara Signings
Ipswich Town’s Premier League return has taken another bold step, with the Tractor Boys landing winger Julio Enciso and midfielder Abdoul Ouattara from Strasbourg in a double move that underlines the club’s intent to stay up – and stay relevant.
The pair, both already familiar with boss Gary O'Neil from their time in France, have signed five-year deals. The combined fee could rise to £47.3m, a statement outlay on two players still years away from their peak: Enciso is 22, Ouattara just 20.
Enciso comes back to finish what he started
For Enciso, this is a return to a club that never really left his mind. The Paraguay international spent the second half of last season on loan at Portman Road from Brighton, playing his part as Ipswich surged back into the Premier League.
"I am so happy to be back at Ipswich Town," he said. "I really enjoyed my time on loan at the club and I was so happy to see them win promotion back to the Premier League last season.
"I worked with the manager in France last season and the chance to play for him again at a great club like Ipswich is one I'm very excited for."
After three years at Brighton and that productive loan spell, Enciso now arrives as a permanent signing with a clear role: inject pace, direct running and end product into O’Neil’s attack. Ipswich know exactly what they’re getting. So does he.
Ouattara brings European edge
If Enciso is the familiar face, Ouattara is the intriguing new piece.
The Ivorian midfielder made 45 appearances for Strasbourg in Ligue 1 and was part of the side that pushed all the way to the Uefa Conference League semi-finals last season. That run gave him a taste of knockout pressure and European atmospheres long before most players his age.
"I am still young but have had some good experiences already and I can't wait to meet the fans and my team-mates and get started," Ouattara said.
Dynamic, battle-tested and schooled in a top European league, he arrives as the kind of all-action midfielder promoted clubs often lack – the one who has already lived a few big nights.
Ipswich keep spending – and building
Since clinching promotion from the Championship, Ipswich have not tiptoed into the top flight. They have charged in.
The signings of Enciso and Ouattara take their spending to £150m and their tally of major additions to 12. It is a rapid rebuild, but not a random one: two players who know the manager, one who knows the club, both on long-term contracts.
Ipswich have bought talent, familiarity and upside. The question now is simple and sharp: can this ambitious, expensive new core turn survival into something more than just a first-season fight?
