Striker Freddie Sears has left Colchester United to sign for Championship side Ipswich Town for an undisclosed fee.
The former West Ham United trainee had netted 14 times for Colchester this season, but with his contract due to expire in the summer, the League One outfit were in danger of losing their forward on a free transfer.
That has resulted in Mick McCarthy handing Sears a two-and-a-half-year contract to add depth to a squad that sits just a point off first position in the Championship standings.
Sears could feature when Ipswich travel to Millwall on Saturday afternoon.