Ipswich Town committed 'daylight robbery' over Norwich City for Marcelino Nunez | OneFootball

Ipswich Town have won 71% of matches with the Chilean in the side

It was one of the biggest signings this summer when Marcelino Nunez made the move from Norfolk to Suffolk to sign for Ipswich Town, and he's more than lived up to the bill.

The Chilean midfielder became the first player since 2001 to sign for Ipswich from fierce rivals Norwich City, when he made the £10 million switch in the summer and, while Kieran McKenna's side haven't exactly been the dominant force many expected them to be in the Championship this season, they're still in with a strong shout for promotion, and that is mainly due to Nunez's involvements.

The 26-year-old has three goals and eight assists this season, and only Mikey Johnston and Gus Hamer have set up more goals in the Championship this term. But the main evidence of his impact has come via Ipswich's win percentage when he's in the side.

Nunez's debut coincided with the Tractor Boys' first league win of the campaign against Sheffield United, and since then, Ipswich have won 71% of their games with the former Norwich man in the side.

Ipswich Town fan pundit raves over Marcelino Nunez's impact at Portman Road

Every week, Ipswich fans are reminded of how good Nunez is, especially given that, when sidelined with an ankle injury in late January, Kieran McKenna's side struggled to control games and pick up wins.

FLW's Ipswich fan pundit, Adam Wilkin, is still almost in disbelief that they were able to bring him in from their fiercest rivals, but is revelling in the fact that he gets to watch him at his club.

"I think we are such a more joined-up team with Nunez in the side. Honestly, it's daylight robbery that we signed him from Norwich," he said.

"He makes us tick, and we've definitely missed him when he's been out with injury. He links the play so well, presses incredibly well, and has a worldie of a free kick or long-range strike in him as well.

"He's absolutely one of our most important players this season, and the win ratio with him in the team speaks for itself. He was an absolute steal, and probably the best bit of transfer business we've done in both windows this year."

High praise for Nunez, especially given some of the astute business that Ipswich have done this season outside the 26-year-old's arrival this season. However, with the stats to back it up, it's hard to disagree with his opinion.

Ipswich Town's promotion hopes may rest on Marcelino Nunez's availability

The promotion race is in Ipswich's hands, with them holding the games in hand to climb into the top two come the end of the campaign. Still, nothing is guaranteed, and Kieran McKenna will need everyone at full focus for the run-in.

Arguably, the most important asset he has heading into the final months of the campaign is Nunez, due to how well he controls games.

In the games leading up to his injury, where he started consistently, and in the last two, when he has been reinserted into the starting eleven, the Tractor Boys have won comfortably. But, when he was out of the side, and then in his first game back off the bench, Ipswich won one of four, and lost to Sheffield United and Wrexham.

Evidently, the Chilean is a key part of how Kieran McKenna likes to play, and the fact that they managed to pry him away from Norwich makes his exceptional performances even sweeter for Ipswich fans.