MANAGER Eddie Howe has tipped Jake McCarthy for a bright future after rewarding the young defender with a new two-year contract.

McCarthy, a product of the club’s youth ranks, was fast-tracked to Howe’s first team at the start of this season after impressing with the development squad.

The 18-year-old, who hails from the Blandford area, was handed his first professional contract in December 2013 while still a second-year scholar.

McCarthy has gained valuable experience by training regularly with Howe’s squad and is on the road to recovery after sustaining a back injury before Christmas.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “Jake is a talented young player. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen too much of him recently due to his injury but, before that, he had been progressing very well behind the scenes.

“He has trained with the first team for a long period of time and I think that and the exposure to our way of working has really seen his game come on so we are hopeful he will have a good career in front of him.

“He definitely has something about him. But, first and foremost, to go with the ability, he needs the attitude. From my dealings with working with Jake, I have found him to be a guy who wants to improve and get better.

"He very much fits the bill in terms of our profile. If he can keep that mentally and keep progressing, I think he will go on to do well.”

McCarthy, who enjoyed a fruitful loan spell with Southern League AFC Totton last season, was elevated to the development squad by coach Stephen Purches.

Purches told the Daily Echo: “Jake fits the profile of the type of defender we are hoping to produce for the club.

"He has a great attitude, he will throw his body on the line when he needs to defend but he also has the ability to play the way we want to play. He ticks a lot of boxes regarding the sort of player we are aiming to bring through.

“It is tough for players to break through here, especially now with the quality in the first team. We want to make sure the players who are coming through understand that there is a big gap and a bridge to cross. You want to give them every chance to do that.”