Max Dunne and George Tanner become latest Manchester United youngsters to sign professional deals

Manchester United youngsters Max Dunne and George Tanner have signed their first professional deals at the club.

Dunne and Tanner, both 18, become the latest academy starlets to turn pro at the club with Arnau Puigmal, Aliou Traore, Aidan Barlow and Angel Gomes, who has already made two appearances for the senior side, all recently signing deals.

Blackpool-born Tanner has recently been converted from a wide player to a full-back, having been capped at England Under-17 and England-Under 18 level. He has made nine appearances for Kieran McKenna's Under-18 side this season and has also represented the club in the Uefa Youth League, starting four matches as his side qualified for the play-off round of the competition, where they will take on Serbian outfit Brodarac on 7 February.

Manchester-born Dunne, described as a "tough, aggressive defender who is good in the air" by McKenna, has started at the heart of defence eight times this term during United's Under-18 Premier League campaign.

United's Under-18 batch have been making steady progress through the club ranks with Tahith Chong and Lee O'Connor becoming the latest to make their debuts for the Under-23 side during Monday's [29 January] fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, following in the footsteps of Barlow and Gomes who have made similar strides this term.

While United fell to a 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford in front of a modest crowd, Chong was the bright spark in his first appearance for Ricky Sbragia's side. Starting on the right of an attacking three in front of a watching Jose Mourinho, the Netherlands Under-19 international scored his side's goal and tormented the opposition with his speed and trickery in just his sixth appearance back from a long-term injury which kept him sidelined for 10 months.

Gomes, fresh off his cameo for the senior side in the FA Cup fourth round tie against Yeovil Town, also featured.