Ipswich Town have completed the signing of Sasa Lukic from Fulham, with the Serbia international putting pen to paper on a four-year contract at Portman Road. The deal is reported at around £9m and follows Lukic passing a medical over the weekend. It is the second piece of transfer business Ipswich have done with Fulham this summer, after the earlier signing of centre-back Issa Diop, and continues a heavy period of recruitment for Gary O'Neil as his side prepare for a return to the Premier League.
O'Neil made midfield a priority in the transfer window, and Lukic fits the profile he was after: a player with proven top-flight experience who does not need time to adapt to the pace of the Premier League. "Sasa is a player who brings real experience to the squad heading into the new season," O'Neil said. "Having played nearly 100 games in the Premier League, he knows what it takes to compete in the division and has been a consistent performer throughout his time at Fulham." Lukic made 74 Premier League starts for Fulham and ranked among the club's leading tacklers, giving O'Neil a combative presence to sit in front of the back four.
For Fulham, the sale is part of a wider summer overhaul. Alvaro Arbeloa replaced Marco Silva as head coach and has been reshaping the squad around new arrivals from Real Madrid, including Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios, in a combined deal worth around £42.5m, as well as a permanent move for loan forward Jonah Kusi-Asare. Lukic was told he would not be a guaranteed starter under the new coach, opening the door for a move. His departure means Fulham lose a player who made more than 100 appearances across three and a half years at Craven Cottage since arriving from Torino in January 2023, providing energy, defensive cover and leadership in midfield.
Lukic's recent form shows why Ipswich were keen. He made 26 Premier League appearances last season, starting 20 of them and playing more than 1,700 minutes, scoring once and setting up two goals. He also created 28 chances across the campaign and was regularly among the division's busiest tacklers, underlining the combative, box-to-box style that has defined his time in England. That degree of physical and defensive output is exactly what a newly promoted side wants heading into a first Premier League season back at the top level.
At Ipswich, Lukic should slot straight into central midfield, offering the kind of ball-winning and running that can free up more creative teammates further forward. He has experience of Portman Road from previous Premier League visits and spoke of the ground's atmosphere after signing. "I am proud to sign for this club. I know there is a great history here and some brilliant supporters, so I can't wait to get started," Lukic said. "I have played at Portman Road before in the Premier League and the atmosphere was one of the best I have experienced. I am a box-to-box player who gives my all every time I am on the pitch." Ipswich open their Premier League campaign against Sunderland on 22 August, with Lukic set to add much-needed top-flight know-how to a squad built for the step up.