Portsmouth hailed for ‘outrageous’ Ipswich Town signing - as surprise Championship prediction made

Conor Chaplin’s move to Pompey is the signing of the summer.

That’s the no-nonsense verdict of respected EFL YouTuber Callum Fowler, who also believes the Blues could have an outside chance of reaching the play-offs this season.

The forward completed a shock return to his boyhood club late on deadline day, having penned a season-long loan deal from Ipswich Town.

It represents an emotional homecoming for Chaplin, who impressively rose through the ranks at PO4 before registering 122 first-team appearances at PO4.

His arrival was the final piece of business completed by John Mousinho’s men, who added 10 new faces to the squad during the transfer window.

Pompey’s move to land the 28-year-old has been branded as the best signing this summer across all four divisions of English football, with Fowler a huge fan of the Blues’s summer spending.

And the respected figure, who has more than 10m likes on Tik Tok, believes Chaplin’s addition now makes Mousinho’s men the Championship's dark horses.

Huge Pompey and Conor Chaplin verdict

Speaking on his deadline day video, he said: ‘Mental. If they do get this over the line as it hasn’t at the time of recording. If they get Conor Chaplin over the line, I think that is one of the best pieces of business out of anybody in the entire country all window.

‘I think that is outrageous. If they pull that one over the line, it would be crazy.

‘He’s been at Ipswich for a while, he went from Portsmouth then on loan to Coventry then Barnsley before going to Ipswich. He’s been there four years but he is a Pompey boy. That is such a good signing.

‘He maybe relies on (Josh) Murphy but other clubs have calmed their passion with him.

‘If they’re rocking a front three of Bishop, Murphy and Chaplin, then holy moly. These boys are cooking something up.

‘If you watched my EFL review, I said and I stand by the fact that these are a genuine outside shot, I really do. They are red hot.

‘They’re looking nice, really good at home, the defence was quite weak last season but they had a lot of injuries so it feels like they’ve had new signings in that position and they are good going forward.

‘Pompey might be on to something. If they get this over the line then I’m going to be buzzing because Pompey could be on to something.’

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Conor Chaplin’s career to date

Chaplin came through the ranks at Fratton Park before making his senior debut in 2014.

The Blues’ academy graduate went on to score 25 goals in 122 appearances for Pompey, which also included a League Two title under Paul Cook.

The Worthing-born talent would have spells at Coventry City and Barnsley during his career before an impressive four-year stint at Ipswich, which saw him score 55 goals and provide 26 assists in 174 outings in all competitions.

Chaplin featured 22 times in the Premier League last term for the Tractor Boys and has registered five appearances this term prior to his Blues move.

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