West Ham United prospect Matt Fry has signed a new two-year contract with the club.

The defender spent much of last season on loan at League One side Gillingham before a knee injury resulted in a troubled spell at Charlton Athletic.

Now fully recovered, the 19-year-old has revealed his ambition to break in to the first team at Upton Park.

"It is obviously good for me to be offered a new contract of any length, but to get two years shows that the club has faith in me and it is going to spur me on to work even harder and go even further," Fry told the club's official website.

"I am self-confident and without that I don't think I'd get very far as a professional footballer. I believe I have the qualities to become a first-team player at West Ham United. I am not saying that I'll be ready for the Premier League on the first day of next season, but if I am ready in a year or 18 months time, then I'll be pleased with my progress.

"I am still young for a centre-back and have a lot of developing still to do, both physically and in terms of improving my concentration on the pitch. In the Premier League, if you let your guard down for just a second or two, it can cost your team a goal.

"I believe I played comfortably at Gillingham and that led to a move to a team at the top of League One. This season, I would like to think that, if I'm made available, I can go out on loan to a club in the Championship. If I have to start in League One again after my injury, though, then I'm happy with that.

"My ultimate aim though, of course, is to play first-team football for West Ham."