Defender Joe Anderson has signed a first professional contract with Everton.

The talented centre-back has penned a two-year deal until June 2021.

Anderson was a near-constant in the Toffees’ Under-18 team that finished third in the U18 Premier League (North) table last season and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

The 18-year-old, who joined Everton in 2016, says he is aiming to make a successful transition into the Everton Under-23 side in the coming campaign.

“To sign a professional deal for such a big club, you can’t ask for any more,” Anderson told evertonfc.com. “It was what I’ve dreamed of as a kid.

“My game has come on a lot since I joined Everton. At every level you are challenged, there is healthy competition for places and it improves you, because every player is giving it everything.

“Now I want to have a solid pre-season and, when I get a chance to play, to show what I can do. I want to pick up where I left off last season.”