Luke Hyam has signed a new contract at Portman Road that will keep him at Ipswich Town until the summer of 2014.

The 20-year midfielder – a former Northgate High School pupil who progressed through the Blues’ academy – would have been a free agent at the end of the season but his new deal extends his stay for at least a further 12 months, with the option of another year on top of that.

Having made just four league appearances this season – now behind Andy Drury and loan trio Massimo Luongo, Guirane N’Daw and Richie Wellens in the pecking order – Hyam told the club website: “I’m obviously pleased to have signed a new contract.

“I’ve had one year deals for a while so this gives me some stability. Everyone knows that Ipswich is my club and I grew up watching the team play and I’d like to stay here and play for as long as I can.”

The contract presents a turnaround in fortunes for Hyam, who admits there were times last season when he thought his days at his hometown club might have been numbered.

He said: “I did think halfway through last season that I might have to move on.

“I wasn’t really playing any games and was a long way from getting in the first-team. I could have gone out on loan but decided to stay at the club and have managed to turn things around.

“That’s been proved to be the right decision and now I just want to keep working hard and show the manager what I can do and hopefully play as many games as possible.”