Ipswich Town youngster Andre Dozzell has penned a new contract with the club, keeping him with the Blues until 2020.

Dozzell, who is 18 today, burst onto the scene towards the end of last season as a 16-year-old, scoring the Blues’ equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

This season he has made five starts for Town, most recently in the 1-0 defeat at Rotherham, and is held in high regard at Portman Road, having courted interest from Premier League clubs in the past.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy certainly rates the son of Jason Dozzell, but explained recently why the midfielder had not been given more game-time.

“If the team had been better, it might have been better for him,” said McCarthy, in a recent press conference.

“I don’t think we were doing him any favours and consequently it wasn’t doing us any favours.

“It would have been great if the team had been playing really well and he could have fitted in and not be needed to do so much, I guess, but we weren’t playing that well and Dozzer is going to struggle (in that situation), as would any youngster coming in.”