Midfielder Adam McDonnell has signed the new contract which was offered to him at the end of last season, a deal which runs to the summer of 2018 with an option for a further year. The Blues had already activated a clause in the 19-year-old’s previous terms which would have run to 2016/17.
"The last few weeks my agent and the club have been talking but it's great to finally have it done and signed," the Irish U19 international told the club site.
Speaking on Saturday, following the friendly at Shelbourne, the side from whom he joined Town in the summer of 2014, McDonnell said his aim for the season is to feature more regularly in the Town first-team, having made his senior debut in the Capital One Cup at Doncaster and first Championship appearance at Derby on the final day of 2015/16, and also to break into the Irish U21 squad.
"Definitely to kick on more. Last year I was happy to make the bench. This year I want to be playing. To kick on 100 per cent,” he said.
"Last year was the U19s [with Ireland] but now it’s the U21s so this year I’ll be aiming to make the U21s definitely.”
Delighted to sign new deal with @Official_ITFC. Looking forward to next couple of years🔵 pic.twitter.com/s3cER3Yef8
— adam mc donnell (@AdamMcDonnell97) July 12, 2016
Manager Mick McCarthy told the club site:" Adam's progressing all the time. He had a disruptive start to his career, he couldn't play because of the FIFA regulations that said he couldn't [play competitively at any level] until he was 18.
"So he was training but he couldn't play and he got homesick because it affected him. He's settled down now, though, and I thought he played really well in the Derby game so hopefully he'll continue to progress so we can see him as a first-team player.”