Goalkeeper Cieran Slicker leaves Manchester City to sign for Ipswich Town on three-year deal

Ipswich Town have signed 20-year-old goalkeeper Cieran Slicker from Premier League and Champions League winners Manchester City for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract.

The Scottish Under-21 international made three appearances on loan at Sky Bet League Two Rochdale last season and becomes newly-promoted Town’s second summer signing, following the addition of midfielder Jack Taylor.

Slicker, who has previously been on the City bench for Pep Guardiola’s side having come through the Citizens’ youth ranks, joins Town’s first-team squad to work alongside Christian Walton and Vaclav Hladky. His age means he will not count towards the 25-man EFL squad.

“I’m buzzing to be here because this is a great opportunity for me at an amazing club,” he told the club’s website.

“Saying goodbye to City is tough, because I have been there for 13 years, but this is definitely the right time for me.

“I have been speaking to Reg (Rene Gilmartin, Town’s head of goalkeeping) and I can’t wait to get started with him. He’s worked with goalkeepers I’ve played with previously and everyone has spoken very highly of him.

“The way Ipswich play was a big part of the reason I chose to come here, because it suits my style.

“Everyone I know who played in League One last season said Ipswich were the best team by a mile, so hearing that was great for me. In some ways it’s similar to the way City play so that is really big for me.

“Working with Ederson, Scott (Carson) and Zak (Steffen) at City has been a brilliant experience for me and working with Christian (Walton) is going to be the same. He was the best goalkeeper in the league last season and I want to learn as much as I can from him because he sets the standards I want to reach.”

Discussing Cieran’s arrival, Rene Gilmartin said: “Cieran is a highly regarded and highly recommended goalkeeper who we have had a very good look at and heard great things about.

“He’s the kind of high-level goalkeeper we are looking to bring to the Club and we’re delighted to have him.

“We have a very strong goalkeeping department now and we want players who are developing at the Club and have a realistic chance to be the first choice in the future.

“We’re thrilled with how Christian did last season, and Vas (Vaclav Hladky) had a great season himself, but to have someone like Cieran coming in will only help keep the levels really high.

“He comes from a big club in Manchester City and has been on the bench for them before while also featuring in their Champions League squads, so he’s been around the senior game for a while.

“We’re really looking forward to working with him and it’s great the deal was done before we head away to our camp in Austria. Being involved in that will really help him embed himself into the group.”

Slicker will fly to Austria with the first-team squad today (Sunday), with a week of training followed by pre-season friendlies against Spartak Trnava and Flyeralarm Admira.

It comes after he was spotted at Friday’s match against Maidenhead United at Needham Market, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Kieran McKenna’s side.

Marcus Harness and Freddie Ladapo were both on target against Alan Devonshire’s Vanarama National League side with all the goals coming in the second half.

Like at Felixstowe the previous weekend, McKenna fielded different sides in both halves of the game, with new signing Jack Taylor getting his first minutes in an Ipswich shirt after the break in front of a sell-out crowd at Bloomfields.

Meanwhile, it is expected Slicker’s arrival will pave the way for Town’s other senior goalkeeper, Nick Hayes, 24, to gain experience out on loan.