The highly-rated Nigerian teen Joshua Maja has penned his first professional contract with English Premier League club Sunderland. <br /><br />The 17-year-old striker is among the five players in the Academy Team of the Black Cats that has been rewarded with a professional deal, and has put pen to paper on a three-year contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2019.<br /><br />Born in London, Maja represented the youth teams of Crystal Palace and Fulham, then moved to Manchester City, before committing his future to Sunderland in 2015.<br /><br />Described as a technical striker, the teenager has not played competitively for the Stadium of Light outfit but has trained with the first team.<br /><br />Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce is an admirer of Joshua Maja and has strongly hinted that he could hand him his debut in the near future.<br /><br />Ifeanyi Emmanuel <br /><br />Photo Credit : kinetic-foundation.org.uk<br />