New sideline?

Ed Sheeran is now referring players to Ipswich Town!

Pop star Ed Sheeran can now add the role of "player agent" in professional soccer to his business card! The managing director of Premier League club Ipswich Town, Mark Ashton, revealed that the British singer had helped the club sign a new player ...

Ashton did not reveal who the player is, but added: "He's definitely scoring some goals!" It is likely to have been Irishman Sammie Szmodics.

Sheeran bought a minority stake in his hometown club in August and owns a box at the Portman Road stadium. When he learned that a potential new signing was a big fan of his, the 33-year-old offered his help.

"Ed had a Zoom conversation with him!"
"In the summer we were trying to recruit a certain player to the club and realized very quickly that he was a fan of Ed Sheeran," Ashton said at an event in Miami. "Ed had a Zoom conversation with him just before he went on stage with Taylor Swift. That was hopefully the key to getting the player."

Only two Ipswich players have scored more than one goal this season: Liam Delap, who was signed from Manchester City in July, and Sammie Szmodics, who joined the club from Blackburn Rovers in August.

Sheeran had performed with Swift at her Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium the day before Ipswich announced the signing of Szmodics. The Irish striker also posted a picture of himself celebrating with Sheeran after his overhead kick goal against Tottenham on November 10 gave Ipswich their first win of the season.