Henry Gray, a New Zealand age group international goalkeeper, has agreed to a new deal with English Premier League team Ipswich Town.
Gray (19) announced the contract extension on Instagram, saying: “Delighted to sign a new deal with Ipswich Town, looking forward to the next step in my footballing journey.”
He first joined with Ipswich Town in May 2023, when the club was in the English Championship, for a two-year deal.
Last season, Town loaned him out to National League South team Chelmsford, where he kept a series of clean sheets.
Gray moved to Ipswich Town from Central League club Waterside Karori.
He became the sixth New Zealander to play for Ipswich Town, including Lee Norfolk (1994-97), All Whites defender Tommy Smith (2007-18), and loan players Rory Fallon (2010-11), Chris Wood (2015), and Monty Patterson (2016-18).
Gray won the Golden Gloves award while playing for New Zealand in the 2022 OFC U-19 Championship in Tahiti, which the team won to advance to the FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup in Argentina.
In November 2023, he was part of the All Whites’ training team for international friendlies against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
Gray began his junior football career with Upper Hutt City at the age of ten, before moving to Western Suburbs for youth football.
Other New Zealand players with English Premier League contracts include Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest), Alex Paulsen (Bournemouth, loaned to Auckland FC), and Marko Stamenic (Nottingham Forest, loaned to Olympiacos).
Matt Dibley-Dias, who has been picked for the All Whites but has yet to play for them, is under contract with Fulham and on loan at Northampton Town.
