by Luke Cawdell

Young central defender Devante McKain is set to put pen to paper on a deal at Gillingham later this week.

The 18-year-old joins the Gills from Blue Square Bet South side Maidenhead United.

He has featured for Gillingham’s development squad several times recently and played in a game, against Bournemouth, on Tuesday afternoon.

Details of the deal have yet to be revealed but he is being looked on as ‘one for the future’ by boss Martin Allen. He is set to sign on Thursday.

The Gills manager (pictured) said: “He is a young lad and I have watched him quite a few times.

“He is quick, strong, good in the air and my mate went to watch him as well. He said he was good.

“He is not probably for now, he will go into Mark Patterson’s (development) squad. He played on Tuesday against Bournemouth and played very well.

“We have this nucleus of young players who we are trying to build up through Patto’s group for developing, training and working for the next two years and the club is in good hands. We are busy working on that behind the scenes.”