According to Ipswich Star reporter Stuart Watson, Oxford United appear to have won the race to sign Ipswich Town midfielder Idris El Mizouni this summer.
The Tunisian player, who is 23 years old, is expected to sign a three-year contract with the Championship new boys for a reported fee of £400,000.
The combative midfielder has been on loan at Leyton Orient for the past two seasons, where he helped them win League Two in 22/23 and finish in the top half of the third division the previous season.
As Des Buckingham continues to put together a team that will compete in the second division following their May playoff success, the U’s are said to have beaten Derby County and Barnsley to his signature this summer.
Idris El Mizouni is poised to sign for Oxford United for $400,000.
Notwithstanding making his presentation for the Farm vehicle Young men back in 2019, El Mizouni has figured out game opportunity difficult to find with Town in ongoing seasons, with five separate credit spells seeing him play the larger part fo his football away from the East Anglian outfit.
The midfielder played two seasons in a row for Cambridge United before spending six months with Grimsby Town at Blundell Park in 2020/21. He then became a regular in the Orient team for the past two seasons.
The Tunisian made his debut with the O’s in the summer of 2022. His presence in the middle of the field had a big impact on Richie Wellens’ team as they soared to League Two glory.
El Mizouni played in 41 of his temporary team’s league games. When the East London team asked for a second loan spell last summer, it came as no surprise because the Town loanee made the transition to the third tier with relative ease as Orient easily adjusted to their new surroundings.
Having piled up 81 association appearances for the O’s, the Tunisian has accumulated a lot of Football Association experience during his time away from Portman Street, with the recently advanced Head Association side set to capitalize on their resource this late spring.
Idris El Mizouni club vocation record – details from Transfermarkt Club Appearances Goals Assists Town of Ipswich 26 2 2 Cambridge Joined together 22 1 2 Town of Grimsby 6 0 0 Orient Leyton 89 5 3 As of July 8, 2024 The midfielder’s previous campaign’s underlying statistics show his tenacity: with 1.8 successful tackles per 90, he ranks among the top 20 players in the division for winning the ball back in games, and he also ranks highly among League One players with 1.2 interceptions per 90.
With Idris El Mizouni’s arrival, Oxford United continues their preparation for the Championship. When the proposed marking of El Mizouni is finished, the Tunisian will turn into the seventh Oxford Joined marking of the mid year, as Buckingham plans for his side’s attack on the subsequent level.
Jamie Cumming and Jacob Knightbridge have already been drafted by the U’s to compete for the position between the sticks next season, and Will Vaulks has moved to the Kassam Stadium from Championship rival Sheffield Wednesday.
After leaving Derby County this summer, Louie Sibley has also joined the team. On the right side, Peter Kioso’s dependability can be used because the defender agreed to join from Rotherham United. Jack Currie’s appearance from AFC Wimbledon is the latest of the appearances, with the fullback moving to the subsequent level side over the course of the end of the week.