• Edward rated as one of brightest prospects in his age group in England • Delays to two-year deal led to fears he could be poached by rival club

Marcus Edwards has finally signed his first professional contract at Tottenham Hotspur. The 17-year-old attacking midfielder, who is rated as one of the brightest prospects from his age group in England, has agreed a two-year deal.

There had been months of wrangling over the terms, with Tottenham having made their offer when he turned 17 on 3 December of last year. The stand-off had led to fears that Edwards could be poached by a rival club but he has now signed and fans can expect to see him make his first-team debut this season.

Mauricio Pochettino, the manager, has placed a strong emphasis on the promotion of academy talent during his two years in charge and Edwards, who has been at Tottenham since the age of eight, has trained with the first-team squad throughout pre-season.

Edwards was included by Pochettino in the party that toured Australia and he featured as a second-half substitute in the friendly defeats by Juventus and Atlético Madrid.