Promising midfielder Timi Max Elsnik has put pen-to-paper on a new three-year contract at Derby County – following a successful first year with the club.
The 18-year-old’s new deal has seen him commit his future to the club until the summer of 2019.
Elsnik, a Slovenian Under 19 international who is now part of Derby’s Under 23 squad, made an immediate impression during the 2015/16 season with a number of dynamic and impressive displays in the middle of the park.
Originally with the Rams’ Under 18s set-up, Elsnik quickly earned, and cemented, a place in the Under 21s squad that was promoted to the top flight of the rebranded Premier League 2 pyramid as champions last season.
As a result of his fine performances, he was revealed as the club’s Scholar of the Year at the Rams’ annual End of Season Awards event back in May.
Elsnik was also called to train with the first-team squad on a number of occasions towards the end of the 2015/16 campaign and also spent time with Nigel Pearson’s squad ahead of the current campaign.
He played for the first team for the first time in their friendly clash with Portuguese giants Benfica in the Algarve Football Cup back in July - and was allocated a squad number ahead of Derby’s EFL Cup round one meeting with Grimsby Town earlier this month.
Manager Nigel Pearson said: “It’s important, regardless of what age group they are in, that we continue to develop our players.
“We’re pleased that Timi Max has signed a new contract for the next three years.”
After committing his future to the club, Elsnik said: “It has been quite a year for me.
“You always have to try and impress new people in the club and I came back for the new season ready to go.
“I had some time with the first-team during pre-season and I’m very happy to sign a new contract here at Derby County.
“Every time I have trained or played with the first team squad I have learnt from the experience.
“It’s like a different world being here and we have everything we need to develop; the training facilities that we have are excellent."
He added: “I’m really looking forward to this season with the Under 23s; we have a lot of games and it’s going to be exciting.
“We have different levels of games; every game is a massive game and there are so many challenges for us to get the opportunity that we all want.
“I would love to continue my progress and my target is to make my first-team debut.”