Formerly Rangers linked player Vaclav Hladky has signed for Ipswich Town following a superb 2020/21 season at Salford City [Itfc.co.uk].
St Mirren snapped the keeper up from Slovan Liberec in January 2019 and gave him a chance at first-team football, an opportunity he grasped with both hands.
Hladky was the hero of a penalty shoot-out triumph that kept the Buddies up at the end of the 2018/19 season and he continued his strong form into the following campaign, establishing himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in Scotland.
His performances attracted attention and the Sunday Post claimed in May 2020 that a Rangers swoop was imminent.
However, the Gers never pounced, despite the Czech being available on a free, instead opting to bring in Jon McLaughlin.
Despite being offered an extension, Hladky decided to leave St Mirren in search of a big move but ended up having to settle for EFL League Two side Salford City.
The Ammies are ambitious and have a big budget, relatively speaking, but the switch to Moor Lane was only ever going to be used as a springboard by Hladky.
He made a whopping 51 appearances last season and kept a very impressive 22 clean sheets – conceding less than a goal per game – and was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year.
His strong displays once again attracted interest and the 30-year-old has now taken the opportunity to move up to League One, joining Ipswich Town on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
“It’s been an absolutely perfect day – I’ve signed the contract and I’m so happy to be here,” Vaclav told iFollow Ipswich [Itfc.co.uk].
“Ipswich Town is a huge club so it was a quick decision. I got the offer and I said ‘yes I want to be there’ straight away.
“I share the vision of the Club and I can’t wait to get started.”
Rangers won’t be kicking themselves too much, given that they still have two brilliant goalkeeping options in McGregor and McLaughlin, but there’s little doubt that Hladky would have excelled at Ibrox had he been snapped up on a free.
The Gers also had a chance to land an electric winger for a six-figure fee this summer but he has now officially moved elsewhere.
