Striker Kayden Jackson has signed a new two-year contract with the Blues, tying him to the club until the summer of 2024.

The 28-year-old's current deal was up at the end of June with Town having taken up a one-year option last summer.

Jackson’s Blues career looked over until Kieran McKenna took charge in December with the player admitting he had expected to be on his way. Rotherham United were weighing-up a January move.

But the incoming boss brought him in from the cold for his first league involvement since September in his second game, the 4-0 win at Gillingham.

The striker was in and around the squad from then on until he picked up a hamstring injury in the Portsmouth game in mid-March.

Overall in 2021/22, Jackson scored five times, three following McKenna’s appointment.

Skipper Sam Morsy let slip that Jackson was close to signing new terms in an interview in March and now the club has confirmed that the deal has been signed.

“I'm really pleased that it's done,” Jackson told iFollow Ipswich. “Because of the injury, the negotiations have been going on for a little while, but I am delighted to have it sorted now.

“We have had positive discussions ever since I got back into the team and I have loved playing under the manager. I play my best football when I am happy and it's been nice to get that feeling back.

“In terms of the injury, the rehab is going well. I have a big summer ahead and I am already looking forward to next season.”

Manager McKenna added: “Kayden’s attitude and personality have really impressed me since I arrived, and we are delighted he is staying with us.

“He’s an incredibly hard worker in training and, before the injury, that hard work was showing in his performances. His rehab is going well and we are all looking forward to seeing him back in action come next season.”

Jackson joined Town for £1.6 million from Accrington Stanley in the summer of 2018 during Paul Hurst’s brief spell as boss.

The Bradford-born frontman has gone on to make 69 starts and 49 sub appearances, scoring 21 goals.

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Len_Brennan added 12:17 - May 17 Not a natural finisher, who will continue to frustrate at times, but he's a hard worker with pace and will cause League 1 defences plenty of problems. I also think the quality of the balls he put in the danger area improved last season, so he definitely has that in his locker too. A Kieran McKenna suited player, who won't be our first pick for the center forward role, but should get plenty of minutes over the season & will hopefully unlock some stubborn defences along the way.

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Radlett_blue added 12:19 - May 17 Irishtim - why does Morsy need a new deal? He's under contract for the next 2 seasons & will be 31 in September.
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chepstowblue added 12:27 - May 17 I'm not overly enthused and wouldn't want him to be anything like our first or second choice. One and a half decent games doesn't paper over two very poor seasons. First touch,staying onside,working on his mythical pace and finishing all need to be worked on. Having said that, he was the only striker at the club who improved under McKenna. Good luck to him and I hope he proves me wrong, but personally I don't think he's the answer.

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ringwoodblue added 12:43 - May 17 Kayden said “I play my best football when I am happy and it's been nice to get that feeling back” I think this is the key to unlocking his potential (which he obviously has) and goes a long way to explaining why he was so poor under Messrs Lambert and Cook
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stocktractor added 12:57 - May 17 always worried about players who are pace only and have muscular problems in their legs..if he loses a yard or two of pace he is mediocre at best.
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TimmyH added 13:45 - May 17 Hopefully Kayden will find a second wind under McKenna...we need all our strikers next season firing on all cylinders not just 1 as per the one just past.
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brassy added 14:33 - May 17 if good enough for kieran he will do for me tommy coybs
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brassy added 14:33 - May 17 if good enough for kieran he will do for me tommy coybs
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warwickblue added 15:14 - May 17 One of the most surprising turn-rounds of the McKenna era. I had written Jackson off months ago and would have not given it a second thought if he'd left the club at any time in the last couple of years. It just goes to show that there is still a huge gulf between my understanding of what I'm looking at, as a spectator (albeit for well over 50 years), and what the guys in the technical area are looking at.

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dirtydingusmagee added 16:16 - May 17 ''FUNNY OLD GAME'' , written off by many including myself, but credit to him he has given it a go since being given a chance under KM .Hopefully this opportunity will not be wasted.
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LegendofthePhoenix added 17:04 - May 17 KMcK has played a master stroke here. Before December, 95% of us would have been happy to just see KD walk away free in the summer. But since KMcK worked his magic, it is like having a new £1M+ signing - so what a fantastic stroke of management. In Dec-March, we saw how KD's pace could be used down that left side to stretch defences and beat the offside trap. With him used in this way with Wes on the right, all we need is a finisher who can get to the box in time to stroke it in. Simples.

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therein61 added 17:44 - May 17 Her has a manager that believes in him at last and this will show next season we have a happy squad that all pull together and with a full pre season under K.M will fly.
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Eeyore added 19:17 - May 17 18 league goals in 4 seasons. 4.5 goals per season. No wonder he's smiling. Perhaps KM is going to convert him into a wing-back?
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bobble added 22:15 - May 17 hardly ever scores, must be thousands of better strikers out there
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GTRKing added 08:20 - May 18 Jackson since signed for town has been really poor & a waste of £1.6ml But has improved under MK Still think he is an excellent league 2 striker 20+ goals but an average League 1 striker which will score about 10 goals per season. Let's hope he proves is wrong willing to give him a change but do need a number 1 striker ahead of him
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Razor added 09:55 - May 18 May I be so bold to suggest that if we had had the new Jackson until the end of the season it would significantly improved our play off chances? Every player needs treating differently and it takes a good manager to do this and get the best out of threm----nuff said.
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