LUKE Hyam is set to put pen-to-paper on a new one-year deal at Ipswich Town after turning his career around.

The former Northgate High School pupil had looked to be heading for the Portman Road exit door in the early part of last season.

Having failed to make a single league appearance during manager Paul Jewell’s first year in charge, the prospect of the midfielder getting a new deal looked slim heading into the start of 2012.

However, injuries and unavailabilities meant the 20-year-old came into the side for the 2-2 home draw with Blackpool and he impressed during a run in the side as Town’s form improved dramatically during the second half of the campaign.

A one-year contract extension was signed in February and, having started the first three games of the campaign before a hamstring injury struck in training, another one-year extension has been offered.

“I’ve just spoken to him and I think he’s agreed a new deal,” said Jewell yesterday lunchtime.

“I think he’s improved and I think there’s more improvement in him.

“We just wanted to reward him with an extra year on his contract and hopefully we can keep rewarding him as we go along.

“He knows there are a lot of facets to his game he needs to work on, he’s out the team at the minute following injury, but he’s very much in the picture.”

Having missed defeats at Blackpool and Carlisle through injury, Hyam was an unused substitute in the 2-2 home draw with Huddersfield prior to the international break.

* Meanwhile, Jewell said yesterday that there were no developments over Lee Martin’s new contract. The Blues boss said he had left the matter in the hands of owner Marcus Evans and Martin’s representatives and he was unsure what the latest situation was.