CHRIS Yarran has given Carlton fans something to smile about in an otherwise forgettable week by signing a new two-year deal with the club.

Yarran had been spoken of as a possible recruiting target for Greater Western Sydney, but the 21-year-old was delighted to put pen to paper on a new contract on Thursday.

"I'm just rapt to get the deal done and I'm really looking forward to two more exciting years with this club," Yarran said.

"It had been talked about over the past few months and I just wanted to get it done as soon as we could.

"Now that it's done I'm just rapt to be a Carlton Blue for another two years. I love it here and I'm hoping to finish my career as a one-club player."

With the cashed-up Giants still able to sign uncontracted players at the end of the season, Yarran and teammate Rob Warnock had both been spoken of as potential targets, but Yarran said there was never any basis to media speculation.

"I really just laughed about that stuff when my name got mentioned," he said.

"I always knew I wanted to stay at Carlton and I didn't buy into any of that stuff in the media. I'm very happy in Melbourne and we just had to get the right deal done.

"My manager Paul Connors has been a big help through all of that and I'm thankful both parties were able to get the job done.

"It's a great feeling."

Yarran has played 56 games with the Blues since he was taken with the sixth pick overall at the 2008 NAB AFL Draft.

After playing most of his junior football as a forward, he's become a highly effective half-back flanker and was a key factor in Carlton's good start to the season before being slowed by a turf toe injury suffered in an Alwyn Davey tackle in round four.

"The toe is progressing along very nicely at the minute," he said.

"It's taken me about eight weeks to get over the injury, I didn't realise how painful it was until I did it, but I'm starting to feel a lot freer in the way I'm moving across the ground now.

"I've got my fitness back to where it was at the start of the year and I feel like I'm able to contribute more to the team."

News of Yarran's signing is a shot in the arm for the Blues just days after Chris Judd was sensationally suspended for four weeks after the AFL Tribunal found him guilty of serious misconduct.

Carlton still faces an uphill battle to make the finals after injuries and indifferent form led to a string of losses through the middle part of the season, but Yarran says the players remain upbeat.

"Not a lot of things have gone right for us this year, and obviously Juddy will be out for the next four weeks, but we're all really looking forward to the challenge," he said.

"Hopefully we can get the job done and make the finals and peak late in the year.

"We just need to get a few of the guys back in and playing consistently."