Ipswich Town have secured the signing of Morocco international defender Issa Diop from Fulham for an undisclosed fee, with the 29-year-old committing to the club until the summer of 2030.

Diop arrives at Portman Road carrying 173 Premier League appearances — accumulated across spells at Fulham and West Ham — bringing considerable top-flight experience to a squad that earned promotion from the Championship last season.

During the most recent World Cup, Diop featured five times for Morocco as the Atlas Lions advanced to the quarter-finals, cementing his standing as a dependable international centre-back.

Diop's excitement at the move

"I'm excited to take the next step in my career at Ipswich Town," said Diop. "I know how big the club is and have enjoyed all of the conversations I have had before making the move. I know this is the right place for me."

"It has been a busy summer for me, representing Morocco at the World Cup, but I am proud to be joining Ipswich Town and am looking forward to meeting the staff, my team-mates and the supporters very soon."

A career built in the Premier League

Diop first arrived in English football when West Ham signed him from Toulouse in 2018. After four seasons with the Hammers, he moved to Fulham in a £15 million deal in 2022, going on to make 96 appearances for the Cottagers across all competitions. His opportunities were limited last season, however, as he managed only eight Premier League starts.

Diop becomes Ipswich's sixth addition of the summer transfer window. He follows Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu, who arrived from Leicester for £20 million earlier this week, and striker Emersonn, who joined from Toulouse earlier this month for a club-record fee of around £26 million. Defender Cedric Kipre and forward Chuba Akpom have both converted successful loan spells into permanent deals, while goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen was recruited from Dutch side FC Volendam.