Promising young Manchester United talents Danny Welbeck and Ritchie De Laet have each signed extended contracts, according to the club. Welbeck’s new contract, worth £12,000 per week, will keep him at the club until 2013, while De Laet has signed for a further three years.
Welbeck, 18, burst on the Premier League scene last season when he slammed home a stunning 30-yard strike on his league debut against Stoke City. The gifted Longsight-born striker, tipped by manager Sir Alex Ferguson to make England’s World Cup squad next summer, started United’s draw against Sunderland last weekend.
Welbeck scored the winning goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers in United’s Carling Cup third round victory last month.
De Laet, 20, signed from Stoke City last January, although the player has not turned out for the potteries side. He made his Premier League début on the final day of the 2008-9 before appearing in United’s pre-season match against Valencia.
“Alex Ferguson told me I’m very close to the first team,” said De Laet.
“There has been talk of me going out on loan but Sir Alex said I can’t leave as he may need me. The new contract is a surprise and fantastic news.”
De Laet made his début for Belgium in the Kirin Cup matches against Chile and Japan, May 2009.