Steven Taylor is excited to see what his Ipswich Town future brings.

Experienced centre-half Taylor, who signed a short-term deal at Portman Road in January after leaving MLS side Portland Timbers, is out of contract in the summer.

A recurring hamstring injury has hampered his progress – Taylor has completed just one full 90 minutes (the 2-2 draw against Reading on February 4) and won’t feature again this season – and Blues boss Mick McCarthy has invited the defender back for pre-season to see if the Geordie can prove his fitness.

Taylor, who will have to watch from the stands as his beloved Newcastle United come to Suffolk today, is also keen to stay on.

“I’m looking forward to what the future brings for me down here,” he said.

“I think I gained a lot of confidence from going out to America, and knew that the Championship was the league I wanted to play in when I came back to England.

“The gaffer – and everybody behind closed doors – has been spot on with helping me and the lads have made me feel at home.

“It’s the perfect set-up, and when I’ve played, I’ve enjoyed it.

“I want to enjoy my football and the play-offs is my target for next season.”

Taylor has yet to agree a new deal, but his mind does seem to be made up.

“When the gaffer spoke to me and got me down here, I had a great chat with him,” added Taylor, who spent 13 seasons as a professional with Newcastle, before being released last summer.

“It gave me a boost to play in the Reading game after just eight games of training. He had confidence in me to throw me straight in, and I owe him a lot.

“The sessions he puts on are of high intensity and that’s what you want.

“You want to test yourself, and Mick McCarthy’s old school ways are right up my street.

“He lets rip into you every single day, he’s always in your head, and that’s good.

“I love a challenge, I always have in my career, and now I want to have one at Ipswich.

“I want to be part of something special here. It’s exciting and I just want to get cracking.”