Former Sheffield Wednesday youngster George Hirst has joined the Owls’ Championship rivals Ipswich Town on a permanent deal from Leicester City.
Born in Sheffield, Hirst was at one point a very exciting prospect in the Sheffield Wednesday academy. Son of Wednesday legend David Hirst, George made his first-team debut in the 2016/17 season but in 2018 he left to join Belgian side OH Leuven on a permanent deal.
Hirst left with just the two senior appearances for Sheffield Wednesday to his name. But after one season in Belgium, Hirst was back in England with Leicester City.
Again though, Hirst has left Leicester City with just two senior appearances to his name after several loan spells – many of them being tough loan spells.
Hirst joined Ipswich Town on loan for the second half of last season and netted six goals as the Tractor Boys earned automatic promotion to the Championship, and now the striker has signed for the club in a £1.5million move from Leicester.
After signing his first professional deal with Wednesday in March 2016, then Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal said of Hirst:
“George is a good striker, he’s a boy with a talent and I believe that if he starts normal evolution he will be one of the strikers of the team in the short-medium term, I am absolutely sure.”
Hirst to Ipswich Town – a good move?
Hirst has endured some tough years. He had a lot of expectation on his shoulders at a very young age and several loan spells has seemingly hindered his development.
But he found his footing with Ipswich last season. He scored a few goals and seemingly fitted into the system under Kieran McKenna quite well, so it’s no surprise to see him secure a permanent move to Ipswich.
And leaving Leicester gives him the chance to really kick on. He can go into next season knowing that he’ll be a utilised member of the side and he has the chance to prove any of his previous doubters that he’s a player with potential.
At 24 years old, Hirst could still go on to have a very good career in the game.