Ibrahima Sonko is already wishing he’d signed more than a one-year at Ipswich Town after quickly settling at the club.

The Senegalese centre-back says he was the one that asked to pen just a 12-month deal last week, cautious not to have a repeat of being ‘stuck’ at a club. The 31-year-old quickly found himself unwanted at previous club Stoke City following a �2m switch from Reading and ended up being loaned out to the likes of Hull and Portsmouth during a frustrating three-year spell.

However, having settled in quickly with his new Blues team-mates and enjoyed an excellent debut in the 2-1 win over Leeds on Saturday, he is already thinking long-term.

“It was nice to sign, to get the first game straight away even better, but to win? Well that was perfect, ”said Sonko. “I knew it was a very good club but now I’m here I realise just how big it is.

“A one-year deal was something I wanted because I didn’t want to get stuck somewhere where I might end up not wanted like in the past, but now I’m here and I realise people want me I’m thinking maybe I should have signed three years!

“I need to earn the second and third years now. I’m here to stay as long as I can.”

Described as a ‘man-mountain’ by Blues boss Paul Jewell, the imposing 6ft 3in defender attracted plenty of interest in the summer following his release by the Potters.

However, the defender says he was always ready to bide his time and wait for the club at which he felt he could really re-establish his impressive, yet slightly faltering, career.

“I trained with Reading but they offered me something that I wasn’t really happy with and I just felt I should take a bit longer to wait for the right deal.

“There were offers from Greece, Germany and France but I love English football and I wanted to stay here.

“The way things have gone for me in the last three years it has not been the best for me and I just felt I wanted to put things right here before I could even think of moving abroad.

“I wanted someone to just give me the shirt so I can show what I can do, play the way I used to play. I just want to show my worth again.”