West Brom teen Kevin Mfuamba pens first pro deal on 17th birthday

Combative midfielder Mfuamba has caught the eye of both academy coaches and head coach Carlos Corberan as he finished last season and spent pre-season with the Baggies senior ranks.

He featured in pre-season friendlies and showed another side of his game in Monday's 1-1 under-21s draw against Blackburn at The Hawthorns where he netted a fine volley.

Mfuamba's first professional contract guarantees his short-term future at The Hawthorns as he continues to make steps and progress in his development.

It also protects the club financially should any serious interest in the teen gather pace.

Corberan hailed the 'very positive' move to tie Mfuamba down and suggested it was a move he had on his agenda for a number of months.

He also backed the youngster for believing in 'his project' within the Albion academy and, ideally with a first-team future.

"I think the future of the club is in the academy of the club. The academy is very, very important to have a positive future for the club," Corberan said.

"I think in this academy we have players that can guarantee a positive future and positive steps and one of these players is Kevin Mfuamba.

"The last year, when I watched him, I was watching a very interesting player, still young, but someone that finished the last year training with us in the first team and started this year training with us in the first team.

"Of course he's someone that needs to mature in areas, but you can see someone special, a very good, talented player there.

"For me, when the club agreed this type of projects or commitments between the player and the club, it's a very, very positive news for West Bromwich, the fact that players with talent commit to West Bromwich.

"Because I think it is important that there is a project – but not everyone is watching that project. To see in Kevin someone watching his project in West Bromwich made me feel very happy. Not everyone is watching this, sometimes they are watching a more short-term type of positive than just the project.

"For me, when you are first-team manager and you involve him in pre-season it means you are watching something there, you involve him in the games, he's a player that – and in football you never know – but if you keep going with the same humility he has and we keep working like the club is doing with the youth coaches and academy manager, supporting him to develop him, I have the hope and motivation one day to see him play in the first team."