Boss Mick McCarthy has revealed that second-year academy scholar Kyle Hammond will be joining the Blues’ professional staff, despite facing seven to nine months out after rupturing an anterior cruciate knee ligament during last Saturday’s 3-1 U18s defeat at QPR.
The 18-year-old former Westbourne High School pupil missed 12 weeks of the early part of the season with a similar injury to his other knee, having been part of the first-team squad during pre-season and being amongst the subs at Stevenage in the Capital One Cup.
After returning to action the right-back again trained with the senior side and was in the matchday 20 on a number of occasions.
"There have been talks with him and we’ve agreed to sign him as a pro and that’s not changing,” McCarthy said.
"It’s a similar [injury to the one he suffered earlier in the season]. It does happen that they do both knees, strangely enough. It’s sad for him.
"Kyle’s all right, Kyle’s fine, but it makes life hard for him if he keeps doing his cruciate. He’s a great kid, that won’t change.
"It’s always the same with football, you have to make sure they’re fit before they leave [a club] but he’s not going, he’ll still get his contract.”
Hammond later tweeted: "Been a tough week due to my injury but delighted to have been offered a professional contract at Ipswich Town. Dreams do come true."
It’s likely Hammond has been offered a one-year deal, while McCarthy says the club is speaking to the other second-year scholars - Byron Lawrence, Joe Robinson, Amir Berkane, Cory Galvin, George Clarke, Teddy Bishop, Jack Willbye and Omar Sowunmi - about their futures: "We’re talking to them.”
Earlier in the campaign, keeper Michael Crowe signed a professional contract until the summer of 2015 with an option for a further season.