Huddersfield Town officially announced yesterday that their exciting young midfielder, Scott High, has signed a new long-term contract with the Terriers that will run until the summer of 2025.
The news of his new contract, alongside his significant amount of involvement towards the end of last season bodes well for the 20-year-old and strongly suggests that he will be the West Yorkshire side's next breakthrough star, joining a list whose recent additions include the likes of Lewis O'Brien and Ryan Schofield.
Under Carlos Corberan, Huddersfield have invested more time into the development of their young players, with a handful of academy graduates featuring in the team last season.
So with the new contract tied up for High and the new season on the horizon, here's a look at what can be expected from the Yorkshireman next season.
More first-team involvement
This is stating the obvious, but the new contract High has been given has significantly improved his status within the Huddersfield Town midfield and has given the former Shrewsbury Town loanee a glorious opportunity to establish himself in Carlos Corberan's team selections next season.
A key reason for High's contract extension has been due to his mightily impressive showings off the bench in the second half of this season, which have clearly made a real impression on the Huddersfield Town boss.
High hasn't looked out of place in any of his 14 appearances, which came towards the end of last season, with the vast majority of these off the bench. Now buoyed by his new contract the 20-year-old has a chance to show that he has what it takes to excel in the Championship.
A handful of starts in the early games next season
Keeping on the topic of first-team involvement, we can surely envisage Scott High starting a handful of games in the early parts of the coming season.
After rewarding High with a new contract, it's a must that Corberan gives him more starts from the get-go next season to really see where High's progress is at and whether he can prove himself to be worthy of being a regular starter throughout the campaign.
High's first start for the Terriers came on the final day of last season in the 2-2 draw away at Reading, a game in which High produced a fine display which saw only the crossbar deny him from what would've been his first Huddersfield goal. With this in mind, surely more starts will be on the horizon for him next season, particularly in the early games, in which it's crucial that the midfielder once again makes an impression on his boss.
Tough competition
While the new contract does significantly boost High's hope for more involvement next season, the 20-year-old will face a significant amount of competition for game time.
Huddersfield have a handful of strong options in the midfield and may even consider dipping into the transfer market at some point this summer to add even more strength.
This will make the task all the more tougher for High, who will have to shine on a regular basis if he wants the 2021-2022 season to be his breakthrough campaign.
Conclusion
Ultimately the decision to tie Scott High up to a long-term contract is a very smart and very shrewd piece of business from Huddersfield Town.
There is a long list of young midfielders who are taking their chance and proving to be proficient in the Championship, with recent examples including the likes of Michael Olise, Callum Styles and the Terriers’ very own Lewis O'Brien. With this in mind there really is no reason why High can't be the next.
Huddersfield's young star is in a great position at the moment and it's clear that the West Yorkshire side regard him very highly. So watch out for Scott High next season, as he has both the aptitude and the opportunity to be the Terriers’ next breakthrough star.