Ipswich Town have signed defender Josh Earl from Championship side Preston North End on loan until the end of the season, the club have confirmed.

The 21-year-old spent the first half of the season on loan at Bolton Wanderers, but his progress was distrusted by an ankle injury and he returned to Deepdale earlier this month.

Earl came through the academy at Preston and has made 36 appearances for Alex Neil's side, including 33 in the Championship, but he hasn't featured for the Lilywhites since April last year.

He's made eleven appearances for Bolton in all competitions so far this season, including nine in League One and was sent off against Accrington Stanley back in November.

Earl last featured for Bolton in the 4-3 defeat to Burton Albion on New Year's Day and will be hoping to get his season back on track at Ipswich, who are aiming for automatic promotion under Paul Lambert.

He trained with his new teammates this morning and could potentiality make his debut for Ipswich against their League One promotion rivals Oxford United tomorrow night.

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The Verdict

Earl is a good player and he could be a decent signing for Ipswich. He's obviously rated highly at Preston and will be determined to make an impact for the Tractor Boys in League One.

He's capable of playing at both left-back and centre-back, so his versatility makes him a very useful option for Paul Lambert to have in his squad.

He's got a very respectable amount of experience in the Championship and played few games in League One for Bolton this season, so he'll know exactly what to expect and should be able to settle in to life at Portman Road quickly.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.