Ipswich Town striker Freddie Sears has extended his contract with the club for a further year.
The 29-year-old, currently sidelined with a cruciate knee ligament injury, was about to enter the new campaign with just a year remaining on his deal after the club took up the option in his contract last season.
His new terms see him remain with the club until the summer of 2021, with the Blues again holding the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.
Sears signed for Town in January 2015 and has gone on to score 30 goals in 166 league appearances during his time in Suffolk. He ended last season as the club's joint-leading scoring alongside Gwion Edwards, with both players ending the year on six.
His campaign was ended in February, though, after he suffered a knee ligament injury in the 3-0 loss at Norwich. He is expected to return in November.
Town boss Paul Lambert has stated on a number of occasions that the club must improve the way they handle contract renewals, with a string of players signing new terms under his management.
Speaking during a wide-ranging exclusive interview, those comments were echoed by captain Luke Chambers, who himself knows the issues playing with an expiring contract can bring after nearly joining Nottingham Forest in January 2017.
"I think, personally speaking, that has been an issue with the club," the skipper said.
"There are massive examples in the past where the club has let contracts run down, good players have gone for nothing and gone on to do well when maybe a little bit of forward planning would have worked better."
IPSWICH TOWN CONTRACT SITUATION
CONTRACTED UNTIL 2020
Skuse, Edwards, Roberts, Dozzell, Rowe, Clements, McGavin, Dobra, Emmanuel
CONTRACTED UNTIL 2021
Chambers, Bialkowski (on loan at Millwall for 2019/20), Nsiala, Nolan, Jackson, Huws, Folami, Cotter, Nydam, Drinan, Morris, Wright, Donacien, El Mizouni, Bishop, K Brown, Judge, Holy, Pryzbek, Sears
CONTRACTED UNTIL 2022
Lankester, Woolfenden, Ndaba, Downes, Kenlock, Norwood, Crowe
LOANS FOR SEASON Garbutt (Everton), Norris (Wolves)
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