Andre Dozzell has admitted the prospect of playing alongside his childhood friends while trying to take Ipswich Town back up the leagues played a big part in him signing a new deal.
The playmaker put pen to paper on a three-year extension at the end of last week, tying him to the Blues until the summer of 2024.
He joins long-time team-mate Luke Woolfenden as the club’s longest contracted player. The pair and midfielder Flynn Downes have played together at Ipswich since they were at primary school.
“I’m obviously really excited to have signed a new deal,” Dozzell said.
“I’ve been playing a lot of football this season, which has been great, but now I want to kick on and help the club get promoted.
“I’ve been with the club since I was eight so I’ve basically grown up here. My dad (Jason) played here too so that was a big factor.
“Playing with players like Flynn and Woolfy is another factor because I’ve been playing with them since I was 10 years old.
“Coming through with them is special so hopefully we can all kick on together.
“I’m enjoying my football at the moment but it’s a challenge in League One. We know we don’t belong here so we need to dig ourselves out of it.
“Then we have to try and establish ourselves and even get to the Premier League. That’s my aim.”
Dozzell returns from a one-game ban for this weekend’s game with Portsmouth, resuming a role at the base of the Ipswich midfield which has seen him enjoy the longest run in the side since marking his debut with a goal at Hillsborough, aged just 16 back in 2016.
“The main thing now is playing games,” the midfielder continued, during an interview with the club website.
“I’m 21 so I’m not a little boy anymore, so I have to play every week and establish myself.
“It’s a long time since I made my debut and I haven’t really pushed on from there, with injuries, but it’s time to get going now.
“The position I’m playing is something new for me and I've learnt a lot.
“Even during the lockdown, me and my dad sat down and talked about how I was going to improve and make sure I was playing every week.”
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Ipswich Town contracts
Season-long loans
McGuinness, Bennetts
2021
Donacien*, Chambers, Ward, Huws, Judge*, Wilson*, Sears*, Jackson*, Bishop*, Nsiala*, Nydam*, El Mizouni*, Wright, Skuse*, Edwards, Drinan, Przybek*, Folami*, Morris*, Cotter, Clements*, Gibbs*, Andoh*, Z.Brown*, K.Brown*, Hughes*
2022
Downes*, Norwood*, Lankester*, Kenlock*, Ndaba*, Crowe*, Smith*, Simpson*, Crane*, Holy, Nolan, Cornell*, Hawkins*, McGavin*, Chirewa*
2023
Vincent-Young*, Dobra*
2024
Woolfenden*, Dozzell*
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