Brighton boss Graham Potter says Andrew Moran has "huge potential" after the Irish teenager signed a new contract with the Seagulls.
The versatile midfielder joined Brighton from Bray Wanderers in the summer of 2020 and since then he has made a big impact in Albion's youth ranks.
After scoring 11 times and bagging 12 assists for the under-18s in the 2020/21 campaign, the Irishman bagged four goals and four assists in Premier League 2 for the under-23s last term, reports Sussex Live.
The 18-year-old, who helped the Seagulls win the Under-17 Premier League Cup just over a year ago, made his first-team debut last August in the Carabao Cup against Cardiff City and he has already scored once in two under-21 matches this season.
Last week, Moran, who is keen to get more minutes with Potter's men, signed a three-year deal with the Seagulls until the summer of 2025.
After putting pen to paper on the new contract, Moran said: “I am delighted to commit my future here. I’ve had two really good years so far and have had the opportunity to progress quickly, which I am really grateful for and proud of. I’ve had some unbelievable moments here, winning the Premier League Under-17s Cup and making my first team debut, so I want to make more memories like those in a Brighton shirt.”
Now Potter has heaped praise on the youngster, who was reportedly watched by Chelsea and Manchester United. He also said that he will feature with the first-team at some point this season. Brighton travel to Forest Green Rovers for round two of the Carabao Cup next week so that could be the first port of call for Moran.
"He is a young player we like a lot. He has been developing nicely in the 23s. I think he has got huge potential. The contract gives us that time and that mechanism to try and bring that potential out, because that’s what it is at the moment," Potter said on Friday.
"I think he is still benefitting from the 21s. There will be some involvement with us over the season, I am pretty sure, because he has got quality. But he is in an area of the pitch where we have got a lot of good players as well. We have to just manage his pathway and manage his development."
Brighton have a habit of sending some of their youngsters out on loan, further down the English footballing pyramid to get game time in senior football. Reda Khadra, Teddy Jenks, and Jensen Weir, among others, are examples of that. But Potter suggested that is unlikely to happen to Moran this season.
"If there is something we think is really, really good and it will help, then okay. But, at the moment, there are no real strong conversations in that way. I think we can be open-minded about that until the window closes," he added.
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