Post by Salem6 on Nov 1, 2003 9:56:14 GMT
By Richard Clarke
David Bentley has today committed his future to Arsenal.
The 19-year-old striker has signed a five-year contract with the club, a deal that will run until 2008.
The England Under-20 international is one of the brightest prospects rising through the ranks at Highbury.
He made his debut against Oxford United in the FA Cup third round tie at Highbury earlier this year and has been on the bench in the Champions League this season.
"I am really pleased. It will be an exciting five years," he said in an exclusive video interview with Arsenal.com
"I needed it to get settled and concentrate on my football again. For the past six months I have been thinking about the contract and whether I was still going to be here. It is good to be staying."
Bentley has yet to make a first-team start. He might have made his full debut in the Carling Cup tie against Rotherham on Tuesday but suffered a knee injury on the eve of the game. Still, he is aware he now has time on his side.
"I am just making in-roads and hopefully this new five-year deal will give me a lot of time to bed myself in," he said. "I feel it is only a matter of time until I get in and hopefully I can make an impression when I do.
"The club is crying out for someone to come through. But there are such great players here that you have to be patient. Hopefully over the next five years I can get in there somehow."
Arsenal PLUS subscribers can now see David make his announcement. In our video interview, he also talks about the disappointment of getting that injury, how the other young players did that night and the upcoming Wolves tie.
