Brighton make major decision on goalkeeper as loan move to League One confirmed

Brighton continue to trim their Premier League squad for the season as yet another player departs on loan
Christian Walton is heading to League One side Ipswich TownChristian Walton is heading to League One side Ipswich Town
Christian Walton is heading to League One side Ipswich Town

Christian Walton has joined Ipswich Town on loan for the season. The 25-year-old goalkeeper joins the League One side and is reunited with Paul Cook, who he played under during a successful two-year spell at Wigan Athletic between 2017 and 2019.

Albion head coach Graham Potter said, “Christian is at the stage of his career he wants to play regular football, and with four very good senior goalkeepers at the club it was clear game time would be at a premium this season.

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“With Ipswich he will have that opportunity to play regularly under a manager he enjoyed one of the most successful periods of his career.

“It’s a really good loan move for him and one which we all wish him well for the season ahead.”

Walton will also link up with former Albion keeper John Keeley, who moved to Ipswich from Portsmouth as goalkeeper coach this summer.

The pair worked together previously, during Keeley’s short spell working with Albion’s under-23 goalkeepers in 2016.

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Walton joined Albion in 2013 from Plymouth Argyle; he made his debut at 18 in a League Cup defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

Loan spells with Bury, Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town and Southend United followed, but it was his time under Cook at Wigan he made a real name for himself in the EFL.

Two years with the Latics saw him win promotion to the Championship from League One and help establish Paul Cook's side in the second-tier.

During that spell Walton and Wigan recorded a historic FA Cup win over Manchester City, beating the eventual English Champions as a third-tier side, in the fifth round of the competition in February 2018.

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He spent the 2019/20 season on loan with Blackburn Rovers, and he played every minute of Championship football for Rovers.

Cornish-born Walton has made six senior appearances for Albion and has been capped by England at under-19, under-20 and under-21 level.