Janoi Donacien is now a full-time Ipswich Town player after completing his £750,000 move from Accrington Stanley.
The 25-year-old moved to Portman Road in the summer but did so on an initial loan deal while waiting for his biometric residence permit, which gives the Saint Lucian-born defender permanent leave to remain in the United Kingdon.
Following a longm frustrating delay, he has now received all the relevant authorisation from the Home Office, meaning his move has been completed.
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Donacien has been on the bench for five games under manager Paul Lambert, who was in charge during his days as a young player at Aston Villa, but has yet to play a minute under the Scot.
He was signed primarily as a right back by former boss Paul Hurst, for whom he made 11 Ipswich appearances, but Lambert sees him as a central defender.
“He’s a centre-half,” Lambert said.
“That’s me, I see him as a centre-half. I know he’s played right-back and left-back and he might go to right-back but left-back I’d say no.
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“Right-back maybe if we needed someone to fill into that position but I still see him being strongest as a centre-half.
“He knows he’s got Chambers and Pennington ahead of him but he’s a good pro who does everything asked of him.”
Donacien could face his former club in the FA Cup this weekend.
The defender’s permanent move means Ipswich now have three players on loan – Matthew Pennington from Everton, Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah and new signing from Leicester, Callum Elder.
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That could soon become four, given the impending arrival of Will Keane on a temporary deal from Hull City.
Jon Walters, Jordan Graham and Tayo Edun have all spent time on loan at Ipswich this season.
Graham had his loan cancelled and subsequently joined Oxford, before Edun returned to Fulham with an eye injury.
Walters’ loan from Burnley ended after he suffered an Achilles injury in September.
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