LEICESTER CITY HAVE TIED DOWN ONE OF THEIR TOP PROSPECTS WITH JAKE EVANS SIGNING HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT AT THE CLUB. EVANS, WHO BECAME THE SIXTH-YOUNGEST PLAYER IN THE CLUB’S HISTORY WHEN HE MADE HIS SENIOR CITY DEBUT LAST SEASON, HAS PENNED PROFESSIONAL TERMS AFTER TURNING 17 IN AUGUST.
THE TALENTED FORWARD, WHO CAN PLAY UP FRONT OR OUT WIDE, HAS NOT FEATURED FOR MARTI CIFUENTES’ FIRST TEAM THIS SEASON BUT IS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AMID A TERRIFIC RUN OF FORM FOR THE UNDER-21S, WITH FIVE GOALS IN HIS LAST FIVE GAMES. LAST SEASON, HE BECAME THE YOUNGEST PLAYER TO HIT DOUBLE FIGURES IN PREMIER LEAGUE 2 SINCE THE REFORMATTING OF THE DIVISION.
THOSE GOALS CAUGHT THE EYE OF RUUD VAN NISTELROOY, WHO HANDED HIM FOUR APPEARANCES OFF THE BENCH FOR THE FIRST TEAM. IT WAS EXPECTED THAT EVANS WOULD BE PART OF CITY’S FIRST TEAM FOLLOWING RELEGATION, BUT WHILE HE PLAYED IN PRE-SEASON, NO SENIOR OPPORTUNITIES HAVE YET COME HIS WAY UNDER CIFUENTES.
SPEAKING ABOUT EVANS EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE CITY MANAGER SAID: “IT’S GOOD WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS WITH YOUNG PLAYERS. I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS A DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WITH PLAYERS.
“JAKE DID ALL OF THE PRE-SEASON WITH US. HE TRAINS QUITE A LOT WITH US. WE ARE TRACKING HIM. I BELIEVE IN HIS QUALITIES. IT’S ABOUT HIM SHOWING THE THINGS WE WANT HIM TO SHOW IN THE UNDER-21S, THEN THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIM.”
EVANS IS PART OF A VERY PROMISING GROUP COMING THROUGH THE RANKS AT CITY, WITH JEREMY MONGA AND LOUIS PAGE AMONG THE TOP TALENTS WHO COULD REACH THE HIGHEST LEVEL. PAGE ALSO PENNED A PRO DEAL OVER THE SUMMER, WHILE MONGA SIGNED A SCHOLARSHIP THAT WILL BECOME A PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT ONCE HE TURNS 17 NEXT JULY.
