Arsenal forward Jay Emmanuel-Thomas joins Ipswich

Ipswich have completed the permanent signing of young striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas from Arsenal.

The 20-year-old has moved to Portman Road for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £1.1million, and signed a three-year contract.

Emmanuel-Thomas has had loan spells at Blackpool, Doncaster and Cardiff and admitted he needed to leave the Emirates to secure first-team football.

"Obviously it came to the stage in my career at Arsenal where I needed to be playing games," he told Town's official website.

"I had a decision to make and Ipswich seemed the right place for me."

The England Under-19 international is Town boss Paul Jewell's second signing of the day after Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale completed his loan switch.

Emmanuel-Thomas is excited by the challenge of helping the Tractor Boys win promotion.

He told the official Ipswich website, www.itfc.co.uk: "I was impressed with what Paul Jewell had to say - and the team he is building.

"I know he is looking to bring in more players and it's the club's ambition to get in the Premier League. That's my goal as well, to play in the Premier League with Ipswich.

"Obviously it came to the stage in my career at Arsenal where I needed to be playing games.

"I had a decision to make and Ipswich seemed the right place for me.

"I had a good time at Arsenal and I'm going to miss all the boys but my future is about me and I needed to move on."