⁠How Cedric Kipre feels about signing for Ipswich Town permanently - Kieran McKenna will love this | OneFootball

Ipswich Town can sign Cedric Kipre permanently if they get promoted, and the Ivorian wants that to happen

Cedric Kipre has revealed his desire to remain an Ipswich Town player past this season, which will come to fruition if Kieran McKenna's side achieves promotion.

The 29-year-old is currently on a season-long loan from French side Reims, of which there was a reported option to buy.

According to the Ipswich Star, the £3.9 million fee will become an obligation if Ipswich secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking this season.

That fact was confirmed by Kipre himself, and he hopes that it becomes a reality. Not only to live out a dream of playing in the Premier League, but also to remain with a team he has really settled in with since his summer arrival.

Cedric Kipre reveals aspirations to play in the Premier League with Ipswich Town

Kipre has never played in the top flight in England, despite being signed by West Brom from Wigan Athletic upon their promotion in 2020.

This season, the former Baggies and Tics defender has a chance to earn promotion to the Premier League with Ipswich, and if he does, he's confirmed that the Tractor Boys will be obliged to secure his services for £3.9 million, which he hopes will happen.

"Yes, that's right," he answered when questioned about the logistics surrounding his buy clause. "Of course, that's what I want. Hopefully, we get promoted, and I can stay here because I enjoy it very much.

"Everyone knows that the manager here is a good coach. He wants everybody to improve, and I feel like I've improved since I came in. Hopefully, I will keep on improving, and next season I'll be better than I am now.

"Everyone's great with me here. I am enjoying myself and playing more regularly now. So I'm very happy at Ipswich."

The centre-back options available to Kieran McKenna are top quality for the level. Kipre had to bide his time, but following his debut in a 2-1 win over Portsmouth in late September, he's started 11 of the subsequent 15 Championship games.

The commanding defender won West Brom's Player of the Season during their 2023/24 play-off campaign and is beginning to show that form once more in the second tier.

If he continues in this vein, he'd likely achieve his goal of playing in the Premier League for the first time in his career.

"My dream has always been to play in the Premier League. That's why I came here," he added.

"Here, we've got a good chance to get promoted. So I will do my best to achieve my dream personally and also to help the club go back to the Premier League."

Ipswich Town will be hoping that Cedric Kipre helps them to Championship success this season

Kipre has become a regular feature in the Ipswich backline this season, taking his chance after Jacob Greaves was suspended against Portsmouth for his red card in the abandoned game against Blackburn Rovers earlier this year.

Since that game, the Ivorian has played a much larger role in Kieran McKenna's back line and has played a part in four of Ipswich's six clean sheets this season, including in big wins over Coventry City and Stoke City recently.

With only two defeats in their last 11 Championship games, a middling start to the campaign has started to have a bit more of a positive outlook heading into the second half of the season.

The Tractor Boys still have a bit to do to catch up with the impressive top two of Coventry and Middlesbrough, and Ipswich fans will be hoping that Kipre has a bit of an incentive to perform at his best and aid in the catch-up with the lure of the Premier League in the balance.