Norwich City have completed the signing of former Ipswich Town midfielder Liam Gibbs after the 18-year-old's contract expired this summer.

Despite his contract ending in June, Ipswich are set to receive compensation for the young midfielder due to his age.

Gibbs, who made his first-team debut in a League One fixture at home to Charlton in November of last year, is subject to an undisclosed fee paid by Norwich, and he has signed a contract that will keep him with The Canaries until 2025.

Gibbs joined Ipswich's academy in 2011, progressing through each stage of the academy's development programme before his debut in late 2020.

The 18-year-old ends this chapter of his career with four first-team appearances for The Tractor Boys, with three of them coming in the EFL Trophy.

The verdict

It is becoming increasingly common this transfer window that Premier League clubs - outside the traditional top six - are building squads for the future.

There is seemingly more emphasis on improving the standard inside a club's youth-team squads, and this is a signing that will do exactly that.

His immediate future will probably be with the club's U23 squad, and he will be hoping to impress on arrival to cement his place in that side.

At this stage, it seems more likely that Norwich will keep him close to their youth team squads and give him a year to settle in. Next season, however, he may be required to head out on loan and prove himself in the EFL on a more consistent basis.