Northern Ireland teen voices pride after signing pro deal with Arsenal

Northern Ireland teenage defender Henry Jeffcott has signed his first professional deal with Arsenal. The 18-year-old spoke of his pride at securing the contract after putting pen-to-paper on terms on Thursday.

Jeffcott has progressed through the academy ranks at Arsenal and has been rewarded for his performances. He has featured for both the Under 18 and U23 sides during his time at Meadow Park.

The versatile defender said on Twitter: "An extremely proud day for me and my family in signing my first professional contract @Arsenal @ArsenalAcademy. I’m very honoured to be at such an amazing club.

"Thank you to everyone in and outside Arsenal who has helped me through my journey so far and I can’t wait to kick on."

Jeffcott has featured for Northern Ireland Under 19s, and also qualifies for England. He made his Northern Ireland debut last September in a friendly win over the Faroe Islands.

Last season the 18-year-old made 27 appearances in the Under 18 Premier League. He also featured in the FA Youth Cup and Premier League 2.