Harvey Barnes Signs New Four-Year Contract
- Young midfielder Harvey Barnes signs new four-year contract with Leicester City Football Club
- The 19-year-old had a breakthrough season in 2016/17 after making his professional debut against Porto in the UEFA Champions League
- Barnes scored six times during a loan spell with League 1 side MK Dons last term and won the Toulon Tournament with England Under-20s during the summer
- The Countesthorpe youngster has been in the Leicester City Academy since the age of nine
The 19-year-old Academy graduate has enjoyed a fine year, during which he made his professional debut in the UEFA Champions League, became a regular for MK Dons in a successful loan spell and finished as top scorer for England Under-20s as they marched to the Toulon Tournament crown.
Having joined Leicester City’s Academy at the age of nine, the highly-rated youngster has steadily risen through the ranks to firmly establish his reputation as one of the most exciting young English talents in the country.
Harvey first burst onto the scene when he made his debut as an 18-year-old in a UEFA Champions League fixture away to Porto in December 2016, replacing Danny Drinkwater late in the second half.
Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare said: "Harvey's a really exciting young player and it's been a real pleasure to watch him develop, particularly during the last year where he's been regularly involved in the first team setup.
"The way he took to his loan spell at MK Dons - his first experience of league football - speaks volumes both for his quality as a player and his maturity as a young man.
"He's a bright, gifted boy with a terrific attitude and a big future. We're delighted that future is with Leicester City."
Harvey told LCFC TV: “I’ve been at the Club a long time so it’s really a great achievement for me. I’m hoping to push on through each of these four years. I’ve been with this Club from a young age and more recently I’ve been introduced to the first team and so far, my experience has been nothing but positive.”
In addition to his first team debut, Barnes continued to shine for City’s Development Squad before being loaned to League 1 side MK Dons in January 2017, where he soon began to live up to his promise.
A goal on his Football League debut against Northampton Town was followed with another just a week later in a victory over Peterborough United as Barnes hit the ground running during his first taste of League 1 football.
Harvey would add another four goals to his tally, taking his total to six in just 21 appearances for the Dons, before returning to Leicester City’s Development Squad for their final fixture of the campaign away to Tottenham Hotspur. The Foxes went on to earn a 4-1 victory, with Barnes scoring a stunning brace.
Following the conclusion of his club season, he was called up by England Under-20s for the prestigious Toulon Tournament in France, helping them go all the way to the final, where they overcame Ivory Coast 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
The City youngster ended the tournament as joint-top scorer with four goals, as well as finding the net from the spot in the shoot-out against Ivory Coast.
In addition to his Toulon Tournament silverware, Harvey was also named Development Squad Player of the Season by Leicester City and Young Player of the Season by MK Dons for 2016/17.