Friday 22 March 2019 14:00, UK
Promising midfielder Max Bird has signed a contract extension with Derby County that keeps him at the club until 2022.
The 18-year-old has made seven appearances for Derby in the Championship this season, starting two games.
Bird has been with the club since the age of nine and Derby boss Frank Lampard is excited he will continue his development at Pride Park Stadium.
Lampard said: "Max is a really good young man and an excellent young professional here at Derby County.
"He wants to learn and take in information and, ever since the first time I called him up to train with the first-team, he has been impressive.
"He has improved this year and he will also keep improving too because of the attitude that he has got.
"He has improved this year and he will also keep improving too because of the attitude that he has got."
"The attitude of a player is always critical but even more so as a young player at such an important stage of their development as they try to make the jump from the youth ranks to the first-team. That's why the attitude of a player is just as important as the quality we see on the pitch.
"I have no worries at all with Max that he will continue to work hard but, with any young player, they need guidance along the way and we'll continue to give him that as a management team and also with the senior professionals we have in the dressing room.
"With the ability Max has got and how he goes about his work, it's only a matter of time until we see more of him in the first team."
Bird is the second Derby player to agree a contract extension in as many days, following Tom Huddlestone, who agreed a new deal on Thursday until the end of the 2019/20 season.
