WILL Hughes says he is happy at Derby County and believes the club is on the brink of something special.
Transfer speculation constantly surrounds the 19-year-old but he has now signed a new four-year contract until 2018 and is looking forward to helping the Rams push for promotion again.
"I am enjoying it here and I feel at home, and that is the most important thing, and so there is no reason for me not to have signed the contract," said Hughes, who had his first match action of pre-season against Nuneaton Town last night having missed the friendlies at Matlock Town and Ilkeston.
Hughes added: "I'm young, I am playing football and enjoying it. So you cannot really ask for much more at my age.
"It has been brilliant to work under the head coach [Steve McClaren].
"All I want to be doing is learning and to have the chance to do that under the gaffer we have at the moment is excellent."
Hughes made 37 League starts last season as Derby finished third in the Championship.
He also started against Queens Park Rangers in the play-off final at Wembley when the Rams suffered late heartbreak, losing 1-0.
The England Under-21 international is confident Derby can challenge again.
"We came close last year but it didn't go to plan in the last few minutes of the play-off final," he said.
"We move on, we learn from it and I think we will come back stronger.
"We have got to focus on what we can do next season and hopefully we won't have to go through that pain again.
"For the few days afterwards it still plays on your mind about what you could have done better to help the team win the game in normal time but we have spoken as a group and have made sure we've drawn a line under it.
"In a way it is a fresh start. All teams will be competing for a top-six finish this season and hopefully we can go one better and finish in the top two."
Hughes is one of four players to have signed long-term contracts in the past week.
Jeff Hendrick, Craig Forsyth and Jake Buxton have also put pen to paper.
"I think the fact that we are signing long-term contracts shows that we are committed to the club and we think there is something special around the corner," said Hughes.
"It shows ambition from the club as well to tie us down for four years. Hopefully we can repay the club and get promoted next year."
