Kabongo Tshimanga has put pen to paper on his first professional contract with MK Dons.
The young striker signs a one-and-a-half-year deal with an option of a further 12 months, which will allow him to continuing developing at stadiummk until at least June 2016.
He completed the deal pitchside ahead of the Dons’ replayed FA Cup second-round tie with Chesterfield on Friday night.
Speaking to mkdons.com, Tshimanga said: “I’m really delighted. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time and it really is a dream come true to now be a professional at MK Dons.
“I’ve been with this Club since under-10s and I’m glad to be able to follow in the footsteps of others who have come through the Academy to sign professionally.
“My aim now is to try and break into the first team. Obviously with the likes of Benik Afobe and Will Grigg above me, and the amount of goals they’ve scored together, it is going to be quite tough to do that, but I’m just going to take it step-by-step and work as hard as I can in training.”
Tshimanga has been in tremendous form this campaign, already scoring 36 goals for the Under-18s, including five braces, three hat-tricks and one stand-out game against Leyton Orient where he netted four times.
The teenager also struck twice in the Dons’ Development League Cup victory over Cambridge United back in September.
Manager Karl Robinson said: “Kabongo has been magnificent this season and we’re really proud of him. To score the amount of goals he’s scored for the Under-18s before Christmas, it’s phenomenal.
“He’s a rough diamond and if we can polish that off then we’ll have a top, top player on our hands. Hopefully we can mature his talents over the next six months, possibly by sending him out on loan to play senior football.”
Tshimanga becomes the sixth Dons Academy graduate to turn professional in the last seven months along with Charlie Burns, Giorgio Rasulo, Harry Hickford, Will Summerfield and Ben Tilney.
He completed the deal pitchside ahead of the Dons’ replayed FA Cup second-round tie with Chesterfield on Friday night.
Speaking to mkdons.com, Tshimanga said: “I’m really delighted. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time and it really is a dream come true to now be a professional at MK Dons.
“I’ve been with this Club since under-10s and I’m glad to be able to follow in the footsteps of others who have come through the Academy to sign professionally.
“My aim now is to try and break into the first team. Obviously with the likes of Benik Afobe and Will Grigg above me, and the amount of goals they’ve scored together, it is going to be quite tough to do that, but I’m just going to take it step-by-step and work as hard as I can in training.”
Tshimanga has been in tremendous form this campaign, already scoring 36 goals for the Under-18s, including five braces, three hat-tricks and one stand-out game against Leyton Orient where he netted four times.
The teenager also struck twice in the Dons’ Development League Cup victory over Cambridge United back in September.
Manager Karl Robinson said: “Kabongo has been magnificent this season and we’re really proud of him. To score the amount of goals he’s scored for the Under-18s before Christmas, it’s phenomenal.
“He’s a rough diamond and if we can polish that off then we’ll have a top, top player on our hands. Hopefully we can mature his talents over the next six months, possibly by sending him out on loan to play senior football.”
Tshimanga becomes the sixth Dons Academy graduate to turn professional in the last seven months along with Charlie Burns, Giorgio Rasulo, Harry Hickford, Will Summerfield and Ben Tilney.
