CITY have tied down promising youngster Danny Devine on a new three-year deal.

The teenage midfielder, who only turned professional in the summer, has been rewarded for an impressive start under Stuart McCall with a contract that will run until June 2019.

Former St Bede's School pupil Devine, 19, made his senior debut on the opening day of the season against Port Vale.

But his progress has been rapid – and was already believed to be attracting interest from beyond Valley Parade. So City are delighted to get his future secured at his home-town club.

McCall said: "He is learning and improving as a player all the time. It is important for the club to keep hold of our younger players and it is nice that he is a Bradford lad as well.

"Danny is a bit unfortunate at the moment that we are quite strong in midfield. But I am confident he will go on and make a real success of his career – and we hope that will be with us.

"He has shown great maturity for such a young player and we must now look to help improve him and make him the best player he can be."

City recently gave a two-year deal to 17-year-old winger Ellis Hudson. Striker Reece Webb-Foster, currently on loan at Guiseley, signed a long-term contract last season.

Devine has started nine times so far and came off the bench to replace Filipe Morais during the weekend win over Shrewsbury.

He also featured against Liverpool in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Sunday afternoon at the Premier League club's Melwood training ground.

Rory McArdle, Nathan Clarke and Matt Kilgallon played as a back three to get another 90 minutes under their belt. Haris Vuckic was involved for the full game as well as Hudson and Rouven Sattelmaier.

Jurgen Klopp fielded a fairly strong Liverpool side and they won 5-0, with former Burnley striker Danny Ings scoring twice.

James Milner, Lucas, Emre Can and £4.7million goalkeeper Loris Karius were in the home line-up. Milner, with a penalty, Can and 17-year-old midfielder Yan Dhanda were also on target.

McCall, assistant Kenny Black and chairman Edin Rahic were all there for a potential bridge-building exercise between the two clubs.

City boss McCall said: "It was a great work-out for the senior boys as well as the likes of Danny and Ellis Hudson. Liverpool had a good team out.

"We didn't involve Marc McNulty in the game because he's just had two days of training after coming back. But he has been working hard with the physio."

Having used the more experienced players on Sunday, City will put out a young side in the reserves against Walsall at Apperley Bridge this afternoon.

Josh Cullen is back in training today after playing for Republic of Ireland's under-21s in a 3-1 loss to Serbia in their final Euro qualifier.