Dundee United aim to make Kerr Smith “the first of many” big money youngsters churned out by their newly tooled-up academy.
Smith’s move to Aston Villa – which could be worth up to £2 million to the Tangerines – was confirmed on Friday after a week of negotiations.
After making just 12 appearances for United, the 17-year-old is now set to chase his Premier League dream.
And Tannadice head coach Tam Courts, who is squarely behind the Tangerines’ youth-focused approach, hopes there are many more to follow.
“We have given quite a few debuts this season and we have played a lot of young players in important matches,” he said.
“We have also stuck by them because young players make mistakes along the way.
“That is just part of the development journey they are on but, ultimately, they represent a strong group who are responsible for the sustainability of this football club, because young players are always attractive to the market, we have a reputation for developing young talent and top clubs are now paying top dollar for them.
“Hopefully, Kerr will be the first of many who are developed and sold on for a good fee.
“We are also hoping that a lot of these young boys can get a number of games under their belt at Dundee United before they move on.
“Kerr is quite rare because he has got his move and made less than 15 appearances for the club.”
Smith will initially join Villa’s Under-23 side, but will be watched closely by first-team manager Steven Gerrard, who has already seen him in action while in charge at Rangers.
And Courts believes Smith has a real chance of catching the eye.
Courts raved: “It is really exciting on a number of different fronts.
“Kerr is a young player who has been at the club since he was nine. He has come all the way through the academy system and was a very early debutant.
“He also played in some really big and significant games for the club in a short space of time.
“He is a boy with all the potential in the world.
“It is great that Dundee United have been able to do business with an English Premier League club and it is a huge opportunity for Kerr.
“We are just really proud of the player and everything the club has done for him and what he has achieved in such a short space of time.”
Courts also hailed United’s “selfless” academy staff, led by Andy Goldie, for the huge role they played in Smith’s development over his years with the club.
“The staff at the academy and the coaches who have looked after Kerr at all the various age groups deserve enormous credit,” he said.
“A lot of the academy coaches work at that level because they are quite selfless.
“They might not want the plaudits but they need to take an enormous pat on the back for the work they have done in helping Kerr where he is today.”
He added: “Kerr has been on a really steep journey, especially over the last couple of days.
“He has really blossomed but there is still a lot of growth and development to come.
“We really do think he can be a top player in the future at the highest level and that can be in the English Premier League.”
