Ipswich Town are closing in on the signing of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder and Argentina World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios, sources told ESPN. The deal involves an upfront fee of €22.5 million (£19.3m), potentially rising to €27.5m. Palacios, 27, was part of the Argentina squad that won the 2022 Qatar World Cup and has earned 41 caps for his country, also featuring in the 2026 World Cup. He joined Bayer Leverkusen from River Plate in 2020 and helped the German side win the Bundesliga in 2024.

The signing would mark Ipswich's 13th acquisition of the summer transfer window, joining recent additions such as Julio Enciso from Strasbourg, Emersonn from Toulouse, Abdul Fatawu from Leicester, Abdoul Ouattara from Strasbourg, and Florentino from Burnley. Sources indicate Ipswich remain in the market for another forward and expect to trim the squad before next week's transfer deadline.

This potential move represents a significant coup for Ipswich, securing a proven talent with international pedigree and extensive top-flight experience across Europe.