Sheffield Wednesday confirm Hughes has signed professional contract

Championship side Sheffield Wednesday have confirmed ‘u18s top goalscorer’ Ben Hughes has signed his first professional contract.

Thrilled to have signed my first professional contract with @swfc 🦉, very proud day for me and my family 🙌🏼😊 #swfc pic.twitter.com/e0jXpv8n4T

— Ben Hughes (@Benhughesx_) May 11, 2018

The young winger has signed a 12-month deal that will keep him at Hillsborough until the summer of 2019 and couldn’t contain his excitement to finally sign a pro contract with his boyhood club.

Wednesday have been blooding through a number of youngers in the first-team of late and Hughes could now become one of them. The 18-year-old joined the club from Manchester City in 2016, initially as a right-back, and has finished as the side’s top scorer for the u18s this season.

“It’s overwhelming to sign my first professional contract, it’s what I’ve been working for all my life and it’s a big achievement for me and my family,” he said.

“I know it’s only the start of a big career for me, it’s important that I keep doing what I’ve been doing over the last year and keep striving for bigger and better things.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with the players and the staff, I think it’s a great club and I enjoy coming into training every day and playing games for the Under-18s and 23s.”

Wednesday finished third in the U18 Professional Development League with 54 points from 30 games. Leeds United won the title, while Bolton Wanderers came second.

Hughes will now hope to move on from the u18s to the u23s and put himself in contention of getting game time in the first-team next season. The seniors finished 15^th in the Championship this season, 18 points off playoffs.

The initial aim will be to develop in the reserves, but Hughes will note the competition for a starting place in the first-team – Jake Hunt and Liam Palmer at right-back, Ross Wallace on the wing.

Stats from Transfermarkt.