Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Spurs had been credited with transfer interest in the wantaway Atalanta defender.
Sign up to our LondonWorld Today newsletter
Sign up
Thank you for signing up!
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to LondonWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Submitting...
Tottenham Hotspur appear to have been beaten to the loan signing of Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey by Premier League rivals Ipswich Town.
Spurs had been linked with interest in the former Everton man amid the injury crisis in North London, but it is the Premier League strugglers that have acted the fastest in the January window. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano took to social media platform X to tease imminent confirmation on Saturday evening.
Romano wrote: "Ben Godfrey to Ipswich Town, exclusive story confirmed — agreement done on loan deal with Atalanta. Godfrey completed first part of medical tests today and documents are now being exchanged. Here we go."
Ipswich Town to complete January transfer
The 26-year-old has been afforded just 22 minutes in the Serie A since making the move from Everton last summer and is now set to return to the Premier League. It is believed that Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has played a key role in persuading the player to join his side's fight for survival in the top flight. The Tractor Boys sit 18th in the table, one point off Wolves in 17th, after 19 matches played following their back-to-back promotions.
Former Premier League scout Mick Brown had confirmed Tottenham Hotspur loan interest in the player to Football Insider last month. He said: “There’s definitely value in signing him on loan.
“They’ll be considering how long Romero and Van de Ven are going to be out for, and if it’s a month or even two, they’ll want somebody to fill in for that time. When those two are back, they’re going to be the first choice, so there’s no point spending mega money on a new defender who you’re not going to use.
“I was told his agent has been putting his name about to talk up a move back to England. I wouldn’t have tipped him as a player to help Tottenham step forward, to be honest, he’s just not that type of player and there’s a reason Everton let him go. But they’ve got injuries in key positions and his availability makes the deal an easy one to do.
“He’s keen on it, his club are willing to let him go, and Tottenham are after a short-term fix without getting stuck with a player on a long contract who isn’t necessarily good enough.”
Carlo Ancelotti a fan of ‘really good’ centre-back
Godfrey began his career at York City before breaking through at Norwich City following a move in 2016. He then moved to Everton following the Canaries' relegation in 2020.
Speaking about transfer links with the player before that £25 million move to Goodison Park, former Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “I said in the past that we are looking for a centre-back because we are short there, and Godfrey is a really good centre-back, but he is at this moment playing for Norwich, so I can’t say more."
Atalanta paid £10 million to sign Godfrey in the summer with the centre-back having seen a move to the club fall through in January 2024. He had entered the final 12 months of his contract at Everton when making the transfer.