Ryan Cassidy has put pen to paper on his first professional contract with Watford, signing a two-year deal with the Vicarage Road Club.

The deal ties the highly talented 17-year-old to the Hornets until 2020 and is the reward for a string of fine displays for the club's junior sides.

The first year scholar has scored 15 goals for Watford's Under-18s and carried that form into the Under-23 side to find the net four times in just two outings for Hayden Mullins' side.

Having agreed terms with Watford, Cassidy was understandably delighted to have signed his first professional contract.

"Very happy to sign my first professional deal for Watford FC want to thank everyone who has helped me get where I am," he wrote on twitter.

Cassidy's rise through the youth ranks at Watford has been a rapid one and he took little time to make an impact on the Under-23 set-up.

The striker scored a debut hat-trick in the frenetic 5-5 draw with Bristol City last month to help Watford earn a comeback draw.

It was a performance which drew high praise from Mullins, who spoke glowingly of the youngster after his standout debut.

“He was a credit to himself,” Mullins told the Watford website. “I thought he was excellent. Absolutely fantastic.

“He didn’t give up and I loved his desire, his will to keep going and his enthusiasm. I thought he was brilliant and hopefully there are more goals to come.”