Youngster Shaughnessy signs long-term Leeds United deal

Leeds United centre-back Conor Shaughnessy has signed a new four-year contract.

By The Newsroom

Published 21st Sep 2017, 11:00 BST

Updated 27th Sep 2017, 11:43 BST

Leeds United defender Conor Shaughnessy, who has signed a new four-year deal.

The youngster has been rewarded for his impressive rise during the summer and is now committed to Leeds until 2021.

Shaughnessy began this season on a short-term deal to the end of the campaign but he has been unexpectedly prominent under head coach Thomas Christiansen, making five starts in all and two appearances in the Championship.

The 21-year-old was originally signed to Leeds’ development squad at a time when the club were short of youth-team players, moving to Elland Road in 2016 after being released by Reading.

Shaughnessy played as a central midfielder at Reading but has been repositioned by Christiansen, starting in the centre of defence during league games against Fulham and Millwall.

He was also used in Tuesday’s dramatic Carabao Cup win over Burnley, helping United to a third-round victory on penalties.