Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy says he has long been banging the drum to get young left-back Myles Kenlock tied down to a longer-term contract.

The 20-year-old put pen-to-paper on a deal which runs to the summer of 2019 – with the Blues having an option for a further season on top of that – earlier this week.

“Myles has been excellent, he’s progressed really, really well,” McCarthy said. “Whenever he’s played, whether that’s been at left-back or at left wing-back, he’s done more than enough, hence why I’ve been banging the drum to give him a new contract to tie him down.

“He’s only going to get better and I’m really pleased, delighted he’s signed.”

He added: “Myles has got physically stronger, we always thought he could play. And I think like all the others when they start getting older and taking it in, it’s taking on board that you’re not just playing you’ve got to stop the opposition, you’re playing against others and you’ll probably have a winger up against you or a wing-back.

“It’s not just all about you playing, you’ve got a job to do stopping somebody else and I think he’s grasped that far better and he’s improved all-round.

“He’s improved technically and I think as a personality he has as well. The lads like him, he’s a good personality.

“He and Josh Emmanuel were promoted into the first-team dressing room and they’re first-team players, which is great.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy says there will be no decision on whether to take up the 12-month options in the contracts of Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra until the Blues know what division they are going to be playing in next season.