Young midfielder Tawanda Chirewa has sealed a switch to Wolverhampton Wanderers, as confirmed by Ipswich’s official website.
Wolves have confirmed that the 19-year-old will link up initially with the club’s under-21’s, having claimed to have scouted the Zimbabwean since he was playing for Town’s under-16’s side, and TWTD claim that he has signed a four-year deal with the Midlands outfit.
Who is Tawanda Chirewa?
An academy product of Ipswich, Chirewa made his senior debut for the club in an EFL Trophy contest with Colchester United in November 2019, which made him the club’s youngest-ever player at 16 years and 31 days old.
Named on the bench for a League One clash with Crewe Alexandra in April 2022, Chirewa never actually made a league appearance for Town in his time at the club, but he did once again feature in the EFL Trophy in the 2022-23 season against Cambridge United, playing all 90 minutes in a 1-0 defeat.
And his FA Cup debut would come not long after in November last year, coming off the bench at half-time against non-league outfit Buxton to play 45 minutes in a victory for the Tractor Boys.
Having turned down contract offers in the past though and with his deal expiring this past summer, Chirewa was offered a fresh deal to remain in Suffolk, but he left the club earlier this year after refusing to put pen-to-paper.
Will Ipswich Town receive a fee for Tawanda Chirewa? Has he made the right move?
As it happens, Ipswich will get something despite Chirewa opting to leave the club over the summer.
Due to the midfielder’s age and the fact he was offered a contract, Ipswich are required to receive compensation for Chirewa’s switch to Molineux.
Would signing a new contract at Ipswich have been better for his first-team prospects though in the short-term? It’s debateable considering Kieran McKenna has a pretty settled squad with lots of options.
Chirewa could have remained at the club and gone down the loan route, but moving to Wolves gives him a fresh opportunity and having seen the likes of Joe Hodge and Chem Campbell make appearances in the last 12 months, there’s every reason to believe that Chirewa has a chance of doing something under Gary O’Neil.
