Ipswich Town: Leif Davis reveals why he signed a new long-term deal

The left-back, who signed for them in League One and helped secure promotion to the Championship, bagged a record 18 assists last season. The Blues went up once again and now he’s a Premier League player, with supporters calling for him to be included in England’s squad.

This is just the start of what will hopefully prove to be a long and successful career for the 24-year-old, but there were understandable concerns that his contract at Town was due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign – with the option for another 12 months.

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A strong season will surely pique the interest of some of the biggest clubs in the country, but Town are now in a good position to keep him after agreeing a contract extension that runs until the summer of 2028.

“I’m delighted to call this home for the next four years,” Davis told Town TV.

“I’m buzzing to stay here, to be a part of this club that’s on the up. I’m over the moon to stay here.”

Asked what convinced him to pen a new deal, he replied: “Everything, to be fair! There was nothing that didn’t want me to stay here.

The left-back registered 18 assists as Town won promotion from the Championship last season (Image: ITFC/Matchday Images)

“It’s the fans, the support, the staff, the club, the football we play.

“It’s everything like that, on and off the pitch. It was a no-brainer for me to stay and continue my career here.”

Davis arrived at Portman Road back in 2022 looking for game time. He struggled to establish himself at Leeds United after a loan spell at Bournemouth, which is what he’s received in spades since moving to Suffolk.

As a result, he’s made some fantastic memories with Ipswich that’ll stay with him for a long time, something which has undoubtedly helped convince him to remain at the club for the foreseeable future.

“The two promotions, well, it’s been the best two years of my career so far,” he revealed.

“They’re the two I’ve enjoyed the most, playing games and making great memories with the lads and for the club as well.”

Leif Davis is one of Town's best players (Image: Steve Waller) It also feels special to play for a well-supported club like Ipswich, having played a big part in their journey back to the top of the English football pyramid.

Davis claims he can feel the backing from the fans wherever he is, which is especially prominent at Portman Road and away from home.

“Seeing how passionate the fans are around the town and coming here on a Saturday, there’s obviously no better place to play football than Portman Road at the minute,” he argued.

“It was an easy choice to stay here.

The 24-year-old cited manager Kieran McKenna as a big reason behind his decision to stay at the club (Image: PA)

“The support is incredible here, the fans are second to none. They’re the best fans I’ve played in front of, especially when we’ve played away in the Prem this year. They’re still there, from minute one until the final whistle.

“Hopefully they can continue that incredible support every week, and I’m looking forward to continuing to play here.”

There’s no doubt that manager Kieran McKenna has played a big part in his decision to stay at IP1, having turned him from a raw yet talented young defender into someone who can handle his own against the best attackers in the world.

Davis can see how much he’s improved in such a short space of time and hopes that he can continue working with the Northern Irishman to build on his current trajectory, which could take him to the very top of the game in years to come.

“The development and the progress that I’ve made while working with him is obviously massive,” he explained.

“From day one, even when I met him a few years back, he had high hopes for me. He didn’t tell me that I was good at everything, it was things I needed to work on, which was really good because I knew I had a lot that I needed to work on.

“If you look back two years, I think he’s done that for me. If you look back now, I’m a miles better player. I’m more comfortable on the ball, defensively – which I need to work on.

“Hopefully I can work with him for a longer period of time now.”

Leif Davis has faced some of the best players in the world in the Premier League so far (Image: Ross Halls) Now, with contract talks done and dusted, Davis can fully focus on his football. In his mind, the goal for the season is clear, and there’s a pathway for the team to achieve it.

“As a team and as a club, we want to stay in the Premier League,” he stated. “Hopefully we can work hard and do that for the supporters.”