news-engine

| Greaves: Issa's a Top-Quality Centre-Half Thursday, 6th Aug 2026 10:42 Jacob Greaves enjoyed his first experience playing alongside new signing Issa Diop during Tuesday’s friendly victory over Le Havre and believes the Morocco international is a top-quality centre-half. Greaves and Diop, who signed from Fulham for £8.5 million a fortnight ago, were on the field for the second half of the 1-0 win against the Ligue 1 team, who they helped limit to virtually nothing in front of goal. Diop is one of seven new additions, the Blues having now spent £97.56 million this summer on those signings plus Cedric Kipre and Chuba Akpom joining the squad permanently following their loans last season. Greaves, who moved to Town from Hull City in the summer of 2024 ahead of the previous Premier League campaign, says the new recruits are settling in well, but has been sad to see a few old teammates move on. “It’s been really nice,” he said. “A few people going, a few faces that you don’t want to go, like Szmods [Sammie Szmodics] and I’ll miss him a little bit. “A few other faces have gone out the door, but we’ve got quite a lot of fresh faces and fresh players. Good players as well. “You’ve seen in the few games the quality that we’ve brought in. That’s what we’re going to need for the Premier League, you know how hard the league is. We’ve got players in who have played there before and I think that will help the lads out.” Regarding Diop, an experienced Premier League central defender from his time with West Ham and then the Cottagers, as well as internationally with Morocco, Greaves says he has been impressed by the 29-year-old both watching him earlier in the summer and now playing alongside him. “I watched a bit of Morocco in the World Cup and I thought Issa was really good and I think it’s a brilliant signing,” he said. “Even in the game [against Le Havre], it was the first time I’d really played with him and he was really good to play with. “He’s a top quality centre-half, we all know that he’s big, strong and quick. We’re going to need everyone pulling together in the right direction in the season. “I don’t know what’s in the gaffer’s head with formations or whatever, but you obviously try and give yourself the best account. Whatever it is will be and all you can do is look after yourself.” Greaves is yet to play in front of giant new keeper Kjell Scherpen, who signed from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise just over a week ago, also for a fee of £8.5 million, who is set to become the Premier League’s tallest ever player. “He’s a big old boy, isn’t he?” Greaves smiled. “He’s not just tall, but wide as well! That’s what you want to see behind you. You’d rather see a big 6ft 9in goalkeeper coming out than a smaller one. “Walts [Christian Walton] is injured at the minute, but with the season he had last season, he’ll be hoping to carry on where he left off. But we’ve brought a new keeper in as well so it will be a really good battle. “And then you see Kayne [van Oevelen, who joined earlier in the summer from Volendam], he’s probably one of the best keepers with his feet that I’ve played with. I don’t think he had a shot to save [against Le Havre] so I don’t know too much about him shot-stopping-wise. “The goalkeeping department is a really good one, there’s a good battle there for whoever plays and I'm sure whoever does will give good accounts of themselves.” TWTD/Matchday Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided. You need to login in order to post your comments | Blogs 300 bloggers Ipswich Town Polls [ Vote here ] | | BerksBlue15 added 10:57 - Aug 6 Lots of praise for Scherpen, Walton and van Oevelen but no mention of Palmer - does that suggest he is likely on his way out the door? We don't need four GKs and if we could recoup our money for him, might be a good time to sell him, as much as I like him and think he's been decent when we've needed him. | | | 3 | | | Cervantes added 11:15 - Aug 6 @BerksBlue15 I fully agree with your sentiments about Palmer. He's not let us down, in the limited game time that he's had. I hope he gets a decent move to be No.1 at a good club. A very good keeper who deserves to be playing. | | | 4 | | | guentchev123 added 11:18 - Aug 6 Interesting that Szmodics is the player that he said he will miss. | | | 3 | | | Monkey_Blue added 12:22 - Aug 6 “I don’t know what’s in the gaffer’s head with formations or whatever, but you obviously try and give yourself the best account. Whatever it is will be and all you can do is look after yourself.” That’s a problem given how far we are into pre-season. It’s also sort of echoing the issues as Wolves where players were not sure what he wanted. I’ve heard over complicated for the sake of complication, Contradictory and just ineffective especially in defence when oneil is quite a defensive coach in terms of set-up. I’m of the opinion that GON will prove very good for a few months or it will be the dumpster fire his last half of 23/24 and first half of 24/25 was with wolves. | | | 2 | | | marinermyhero added 14:13 - Aug 6 Guentchev123 But he did say he'll miss him a little bit think that might tell you something lol | | | 0 | | | ITFCSG added 17:45 - Aug 6 Greaves seems to be best buddies with Szmodics, specifically mentioned him so are the rumours of his behaviour blown out of proportion? Beggars belief why the club is so intent on getting rid of him when we have better deadwood to clear. | | | 0 | | | armchaircritic59 added 18:15 - Aug 6 Interesting replies so far, the article above is largely about Diop, and there hasn't been a single reference to him in the posts, that I've seen. Ok, I'll put it right:). Can't argue with anything Jacob's said. Generally looked good for Fulham when I've seen him, ditto Morocco, and looked comfortable on Tuesday. Monkey Blue, I shouldn't worry too much about what went on at Wolves, a club that was in general on a downward spiral, that eventually got relegated, without the " help " of G.O'N. He's got a hell of a job on here, players leaving, players coming, more to come, trying to work out who is best where and fits various systems etc. Time to judge will be as the season progresses and particularly at the end. He needs every tiny bit of support he can get. | | | 1 | | | NewForester added 18:55 - Aug 6 Berksblue15, it might just be that he's forgotten Palmer and put his foot in it. As with the comment about Szmodics, somebody ought to proof read these interviews before they are released. | | | 0 | | | Monkey_Blue added 19:09 - Aug 6 armchaircritic59…. Of the 11 that lost to us and saw him sacked we wouldn’t have been able to tempt any of them at the start of that season. Tell me how much prem experience they had and how much that line up cost vs ours that season but also even this season. Perriera got those useless players from 3pts behind us to 20pts above us. Three of those players sold AFTER oneil left went for about £180m. Name 3 of our players who would total that? Their Right back had three years playing regularly at Barca. They had players also with years of prem experience. Do your research and stop repeating lines you’ve heard. | | | 0 | |