Wigan Athletic's Joe Gelhardt has committed his future to the club by signing a new long-term deal with the Latics.

The 17-year-old striker is regarded as one of the best at his age in the country and has starred for the England U18s in the past.

As well as that, he has made six appearances for Paul Cook's men and scored a stunning goal against Hull City earlier in the campaign that really highlighted his talent.

Therefore, it was no surprise to see that Chelsea and Premier League leaders Liverpool were among the top-flight clubs monitoring his progress and ready to make a move for the teenager in the New Year.

However, Gelhardt will be staying at Wigan, with the club's official site announcing this morning that he had agreed a new deal that will keep him with the Championship side for the foreseeable future.

And, executive chairman Darren Royle gave an insight as to why Gelhardt had signed the contract.

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"Creating a pathway from academy to first team is a priority of our manager and our owners and Joe is certainly a talent that has benefitted from that philosophy. Joe, his family and his representatives believe that Wigan Athletic is the best place for Joe to continue his development and play football."

The verdict

This is fantastic news for Wigan as anyone who has seen Gelhardt play would have quickly recognised he is a special talent, with his goal against Hull proving that as well.

From his perspective, the taste of first-team football he has had under Cook must have played a big part in his decision and he will expect more minutes as the season progresses.

Realistically, Wigan aren't going to be able to keep hold of Gelhardt for years if he fulfils his potential but this ensure they will get a big fee and there should be some exciting times ahead for the player and the fans.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.