Hull City have announced that 19-year-old midfielder James Berry has signed a new long-term contract with the club.
Berry, who only joined the club from Championship rivals Wigan Athletic on a deal until the end of the season back in November, originally linked up with the Tigers' Under 23s team, but has found himself working towards the senior squad in recent months.
The teenager made his first-ever senior appearance last month, when he came off the bench as an 83rd-minute substitute in a 3-0 defeat away at Blackburn Rovers, and Berry now looks as though he will be getting plenty more opportunities to pull on a Hull shirt in the next few years.
The club have now announced that Berry has put pen to paper on a new two-and-a-half-year deal with Hull - who hold the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months - effectively securing his services until the end of the 2022/23 season.
Speaking to Hull's official website following confirmation of the deal, Berry said: “It feels absolutely fantastic to sign the new deal – it’s a proud moment for me and my family."
Reflecting on his time at the club so far, and looking ahead to his future with Hull, the midfielder continued: “It was 100% the right decision to come to this Club back in November because it has been nothing but fantastic ever since I arrived.
“I’ve been playing regular football for the U23s – doing really well – and I’ve been involved with the first team more than I ever thought I would, so it’s been a fantastic move for me. To be able to say I’ve played in the Championship for Hull City is an absolutely fantastic feeling.
“Now I’ve had that first taste of it, I want more. I want to do it every weekend. That is what drives me on and I’ll work has as hard as I possibly can to achieve my targets.”
As things stand, Hull are currently 21st in the Championship standings, two points clear of the relegation zone with nine games of the season still to be played at some point.
The Verdict
Fair play to Berry here.
Having only been at the club for a matter of months, the fact that he has already earned a deal such as this does seem to suggest that he hasn't taken long to make a positive impression at the KCOM Stadium.
Indeed, with that in mind, securing Berry's future with a deal such as this may well be a smart move from the club themselves.
If they are to ultimately lose their place in the Championship this season, then this new contract for Berry does at least mean they will be in a position to retain the impressive young midfielder, or receive a useful fee for him, in the summer transfer window.