Igor Jesus might have joined Ipswich Town before completing his move to Nottingham Forest, and according to John Textor, the Championship side were the only club that genuinely pushed for the deal.
Speaking to reporters in Brazil, the Botafogo owner revealed that Ipswich were the sole team to submit a formal bid for the striker, even though he had anticipated far more interest.
Textor explained that Igor Jesus rejected the move, saying: “We only had one offer, from Ipswich. But he did not want to leave.” He added that the proposal arrived when the club were “close to relegation”, a factor that heavily influenced the player’s choice.
He also defended the £10million fee involved, stressing that the price was shaped by medical concerns rather than ability. “He arrived with no transfer cost because he had two serious knee injuries,” Textor said. He noted that several clubs backed away after seeing his medical reports, even though the forward went on to impress in the Premier League. “You feel stupid when he becomes the best player on the pitch against Liverpool. But his injury history was the main reason we did not receive more.”
According to Textor, Ipswich’s bid effectively set the benchmark for later negotiations. He claimed the club expected a second offer from the Tractor Boys once Igor Jesus began showing his quality, but it never materialised.
The striker ultimately signed for Nottingham Forest, helped by Textor’s close working relationship with Evangelos Marinakis.
Ipswich’s pursuit ended there — but with the impact Igor Jesus has since made in England, the missed opportunity looks very different in hindsight.