Confirmed: West Brom sensation signs first professional deal, Journalist suggests ‘big coup’
West Brom sensation Rico Richards has signed his first professional contract at the Hawthorns on Tuesday.
The Birmingham Live journalist Joe Chapman has claimed it is a “big coup” for the club, especially after losing the likes of Louie Barry in recent years.
The versatile forward has been training with the under-23s squad for the past year, despite only being 16-years-old.
The Baggies have been trying to tie Richards down to a new deal since November last year, and they have finally secured the youngster.
Richards is highly thought of at the Hawthorns and has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.
The 16-year-old scored on his England youth international debut and can play out-wide and in the playmaker role as well as up top.
It isn’t the first piece of great news from the academy in recent months, with Rayhaan Tulloch also signing a new deal at the Hawthorns.
Tulloch is another forward with a great future ahead of him, although he will be looking towards the first-team after promotion to the Premier League.
Richards will most likely be given the chance to replace Tulloch in the under-23s next season, and he will be ready for the challenge to prove himself after signing that new deal.
The 16-year-old was named in the first-team squad for the FA Cup win against Charlton earlier in the season and will have plenty of more chances in the next three years.
In other West Brom news, These WBA fans left distraught as senior figure confirms Hawthorns exit
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