Grant Ward is concentrating on his rehabilitation from a cruciate knee ligament injury rather than worrying about his Ipswich Town future.
The winger suffered the injury at Queens Park Rangers on Boxing Day following a tangle with Josh Scowen, with a recovery time of nine months expected.
He has undergone surgery and is ahead of schedule in his recovery with a hope of being close to fitness by the start of next season.
Those plans are complicated by the fact Ward’s Ipswich contract expires in the summer, although the club has the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.
“I’m hoping to be back in and around it by the start of next season,” Ward said in an interview with the matchday programme.
MORE: Town’s pre-season trip to Germany is taking shape
“I can’t rush it, though. I know I’m ahead of schedule but I know there’s a long way to go.
“I am out of contract. The club has an option but I’m not sure what is being done.
“It’s something that I need to look at obviously but for now I’m just concentrating on doing my rehab.”
Ward is one of three Ipswich players currently recovering from cruciate injuries, along with Freddie Sears and teenage striker Ben Morris.
MORE: O’Neill on season tickets, planning for League One and futures of Judge, Keane and Collins
He’s now back working at Town’s Playford Road training base and is working closely with the club’s medical team following a successful surgery.
“Alex (Chapman, assistant first-team physio) was in the operating theatre so he watched it,” Ward said. “The surgeon is happy with the way it went and I’m ahead of schedule at the moment.
“The first few weeks I couldn’t really straighten my leg too well but now I feel a bit more back to myself.
“It’s good to be back at the training ground as well. That helps, seeing the lads, having a chat and being around the place again.
“I’m doing work on the bike. I’m working on technique and strengthening the leg. I’ve not done any weight work yet and it’s more about stability of the joint.
“It’s an injury I can’t rush.
“Alex records a lot of what I do on video so I can watch it back, which he also did with Doz (Andre Dozzell). That helps.”
Along with Ward, Sears and Morris, Emyr Huws (knee) and Tom Adeyemi (Achilles are also recovering from long-term injuries.
IPSWICH TOWN CONTRACT SITUATION
IN LAST YEAR (WITHOUT EXTENSION OPTION)
Knudsen, McKendry, Collins
IN LAST YEAR (WITH EXTENSION OPTION)
Gerken, Ward, Adeyemi, Spence,Emmanuel, C.Smith, Webber, Judge, Dawkins
CONTRACTED UNTIL 2020
Skuse, Edwards, Harrison, Roberts, Dozzell, Downes, Rowe, Sears, Clements, McGavin, Dobra, Kenlock
CONTRACTED UNTIL 2021
Chambers, Bialkowski, Nsiala, Nolan, Jackson, Huws, Folami, Cotter, Nydam, Drinan, Morris, Wright, Donacien, El Mizouni, Bishop, K Brown
CONTRACTED UNTIL 2022
Lankester, Woolfenden, Ndaba
LOANS FOR SEASON
Pennington, Chalobah, Elder, Keane, Quaner, Bree
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here