‘Great Faith Shown In Me’ - Braybrooke On New LCFC Deal
- Sammy Braybrooke speaks after his new long-term contract was announced
- The Leicester City Development Squad star is extending his stay at the Club
- The 18-year-old midfielder is a regular starter for City’s Under-21s side
- He is currently out with an ACL injury but optimistic about his recovery
The highly rated 18-year-old, who was born and raised in Wigston, admitted to LCFC TV that it was a no-brainer to prolong his Foxes career by agreeing fresh terms, with his sights now firmly set on the future goal of becoming a permanent fixture in the senior side.
“It’s something that everyone wants, to sign a new contract, extending my stay at the Club I’ve been at since I was eight years old,” Braybrooke beamed. I’m very happy to get it over the line and hopefully I can build on from this and show why I was offered this contract.
“It shows great faith in me and gives me a lot of confidence, showing that they want me to stay here as long as possible.
“I’ve lived here my whole life, I’m a Leicester lad and it’s a dream – that’s what you want to do, play for the Club where you were born. I know what it means to put on the shirt every week. I want to continue to do that and one day do it in the first team.
“When you get offered a contract at your boyhood club, there’s never any doubt in signing. It’s all I want to do, stay here, work my way up towards the first team and play in front of the fans at King Power Stadium. That’s what you want from being a little boy. Hopefully those dreams come true.”
Determined to overcome the setback of suffering an ACL injury during last month’s Premier League 2 fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion, the Development Squad starlet is optimistic about his recovery, despite the devasting news received.
Braybrooke’s team-mate Will Alves is in a similar position, having picked up the same injury during an FA Youth Cup match a month earlier. He believes it will be beneficial to share their experiences.
“It’s going well,” the youngster revealed. “Once you’ve had surgery, that’s when it gets hard, and the journey really starts. You have your have lows as a footballer and that’s what it’s about, everyone has them throughout their career.
“But I’ll stay strong through it and hopefully get back on the pitch and doing what I do best as soon as possible. Knowing that people have been through it before, you can take what they’ve done throughout their rehab journey, learn from their experiences and then use it in my journey.
“It will be helpful and with Will [Alves] being around me, we can go on this journey together, help each other through the hard times but also through the good times.”
Prior to his unfortunate injury, Braybrooke was enjoying an extended period training with the first team squad in Seagrave, while also making his senior bow during a Carabao Cup fixture at home to Newport County earlier this season.
For the Under-21s, meanwhile, the England youth international has made 14 appearances in PL2 and the Papa Johns Trophy, registering four assists and one goal, also captaining the side on occasion. He recognises the clear pathway that is in place at the Club to allow young players to flourish.
A Dream To Stay At City, Says Braybrooke
A feature interview with Development Squad midfielder Sammy Braybrooke after the youngster signed his new Leicester City contract.
The central midfielder added: “Learning every day off some of the best players in the league and internationals who have been to the World Cup, there’s no better stage than to learn from them, with one of the best coaches as well.
“It’s been brilliant for my development. I’ve learned a lot and when I’ve taken it back into games for the Under-21s, I can feel that I’m a better player for it. When I get back on the pitch, hopefully I can be back with them again and striving.
“They push you to the level that they want you to be at. They show great respect and are very friendly when you come into the group and they know that you’re a good footballer, so it’s very easy when you do go up with them.
“That’s what you look for in a club, noticing that players from the academy have been playing in the first team. It’s one of the great motivations as a youngster, knowing that it is possible and the club is promoting youth.
“Seeing the likes of Luke Thomas, Harvey Barnes and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall playing regular first-team football, it gives you great confidence, but also motivation to be just as good as them or even better.”