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Huddersfield Town transfer latest: Portsmouth and former Chelsea and Fulham defender becomes signing number six HUDDERSFIELD Town have bolstered their central defensive options with the permanent signing of Portsmouth centre-half Ibane Bowat - their sixth new arrival of the summer window. The 23-year-old, a left-sided defender, has joned for an undisclosed fee and he penned a three-year contract. The 6ft 3in stopper, described as a pacy and physically imposing defender, started his career with Chelsea's academy before later moving to neighbours Fulham. The London-raised player had a brief spell in his teenage years away from organised football with Harlequins in rugby union before moving through the ranks at Fulham. Bowat spent two formative loan spells on the continent at Dutch side Den Bosch and Austrian outfit TSV Hartberg before joining Portsmouth permanently ahead of their return to the Sky Bet Championship in the 2024-25 season. The centre-back suffered a serious injury ahead of making his Pompey debut and had to wait until last season for his chance at Fratton Park and made 18 appearances last term, scoring two goals. Bowat has also represented Scotland up to under-21 level - his maternal grandfather is from Fife. Town sporting director Chris Markham commented: "Ibane is an imposing and athletic central defender who has enjoyed an impressive start to his professional career, with exposure to different challenges and expectations for someone of his age. "Benefitting from development within elite Premier League academy environments, his hunger to improve is clear from the time he’s spent abroad in the Netherlands and Austria, testing himself at a senior level in challenging environments both as a person and professional. "Physically gifted, naturally left-sided defenders are a profile that aren't easy to come by and with the scope to grow and improve, he’s everything we want from a Huddersfield Town player both on and off the pitch. "In addition to his ability, the flexibility he provides us in defensive areas is key and we believe that we can help Ibane fulfil his potential over a number of years and think he’s the kind of player and personality Town fans will get behind.” Bowat's two goals last term were key ones for Portsmouth, arriving in the wins against Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City. He was contracted at Pompey until next summer, but had been told by boss John Mousinho that he could move on this summer, due to a surfeit of centre-backs at the club. Head coach Martin Drury added: "Ibane is a positive addition to our squad. He’s a good age and has been at clubs with a reputation for developing talent. "He will provide us with something different within our defensive options, has attributes that make us stronger from set plays and it was clear in every conversation about his desire to improve and further his own career. "He will create a healthy level of competition for us, which is the culture we want to create."