SIX OUR ACADEMY GRADUATES SIGN CONTRACT EXTENSIONS AT TANNADICE

Dundee United is delighted to confirm that six of Our Academy graduates have signed contract extensions that will see them stay at Tannadice for at least another year.

Shaun Brown, Rhys Caves, Flynn Duffy and Finn Robson have signed on for another year while Darren Watson and Under 18s captain Adam Hutchinson have penned two-year extensions.

The signing of these deals means that no full time Under 18s player at Dundee United will see their contract expire this summer, giving them the security and platform to continue their exciting development over the next 12 months.

Dundee United has a proud history of developing young talent and that commitment to our young players has never faltered, especially when facing the challenges COVID-19 has thrown at us.

We are the only club in Scotland to have kept their Under 18s in training and tested during this second lockdown, further highlighting our commitment to developing these boys for the first team.

We remain committed to not only developing them physically as young players but also continuing to support them mentally in one of the most trying times of their careers. Despite having no regular game time, the boys have worked extremely hard during lockdown, whether that be at home or in training, and it is a testament to their professionalism that they have been offered these extensions.

Head Professional Performance Coach Adam Asghar said: "I am absolutely delighted to see Shaun, Darren, Adam, Finn, Rhys and Flynn commit their immediate futures to the club. Each player possesses their own individual qualities but what is consistent with all of the boys is their commitment and work ethic which has been evident in every match and training session.

"There are two things that are important to acknowledge upon the players extending their stay at the club. Firstly, the support from the club to allow our Under 18 squad to continue training despite uncertainty around games programmes and the season as a whole. Our players and staff recognise the commitment to player development and ultimately the care and wellbeing towards our players and staff and are grateful for the opportunity everyday to train and improve.

"Secondly, the players have absolutely earned the reward of a new contract by maximising every opportunity presented to them in what has been a disrupted season. From zoom workouts, individual sessions, team sessions and whatever games we have played in this season, everyone of these boys have become better players and that is a credit to them and an example of accountability to the rest of the academy.’

"It is now crucial for the players to stay hungry and continue to maximise opportunities which will lead them to become first team players at Dundee United."

DUTV subscribers can hear from all of the boys as they discuss their contract extensions here.