Ed Sheeran played a role in Ipswich Town securing one of their summer signings and did so in bizarre circumstances, it has been revealed.
Sheeran, 33, is a lifelong fan of the Tractor Boys, who were promoted to the Premier League last season, and has been a front-of-shirt sponsor for the club for the last three years.
He also recently acquired a 1.4 per cent stake in the club, which is a passive and minority investment only, as he looks to bolster their attempts at top-flight survival.
And reports have now claimed that Sheeran also played a major role in Ipswich’s summer business after convincing one player to sign for the club.
Speaking at Soccerex in Miami, Florida, Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton said: ‘He’s a local man, a global superstar, sponsor of the football club and a shareholder and now officially a part of our recruitment team!
‘In the summer we were trying to persuade one particular player to join the football club and realised very quickly that he was an Ed Sheeranfan.
Ed Sheeran reportedly played a role in Ipswich Town securing one of their summer signings
Sheeran has been a front-of-shirt sponsor for Ipswich Town over the last three years
The player wasn’t named but it was said they’re ‘scoring a lot goals’ (Pictured: Ipswich forwards Sammie Szmodics, left, and Liam Delap, right)
‘Ed jumped on a zoom call with him at the training ground just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swiftand hopefully that was a key part in getting the player over the line.’
Ashton refused to name the player in question however he did reveal: ‘He’s certainly scoring a few goals!’
That likely means the player is either Liam Delap, who has six league goals this year, or Sammie Szmodics, who has three goals in the top-flight.
Ashton continued: ‘There’s an authenticity around Ed’s involvement with the club at all levels. He’s a local man who supports his local community and we’re proud to have him on board.
‘We’ve gone from the third tier of English football to the Premier League but we haven’t forgotten our roots and Ed’s a key part of that. The work that we do in the local community is essential to us.’
Back in August, Sheeranbought a minority stake in his boyhood club IpswichTown and broke the news on Instagram with a video of him driving a tractor.
‘Really excited to announce that I have bought a small percentage of my hometown football club,’ the popstar wrote alongside the video.
‘It’s any football fan’s dream to be an owner of the club they support, and I feel so grateful for this opportunity.
Sheeran supposedly called the player prior to joining Taylor Swift on stage in summer
Sheeran recently acquired a stake in the club, which is a passive and minority investment only
‘I have lived in Suffolk since I was three years old and, while I travel the world and sometimes feel like an outsider in big cities, Suffolk and Ipswich have always made me feel part of the community and protected.
‘It’s such a joy to be a fan of Ipswich Town. There are ups and downs but football is all about taking the highs and the lows.
‘I’m not a voting shareholder or a board member, this is just me putting some money into the club I love and them returning the gesture, so please don’t get onto me with signing suggestions or tactics lol. Excited for the Prem to start this weekend.’
Sheeran is a four-time Grammy award-winning artist who became a sponsor at the club when Ipswich were in League One.
He initially signed a one-year contract in 2021 to promote his Mathematics Tour on the front of the club’s shirt, and it has been extended with each passing season.