MORTON development squad stars Lewis Strapp and Jai Quitongo are set to sign 18-month full-time contracts with the club, the Tele can reveal.

Dunoon-born defender Strapp, who recently turned 16, has been with the Ton youth academy since its inception in the summer of 2012.

Despite still being eligible for the Under-17s, the talented left-back has become a regular fixture in the Under-20s and will now train with Andy Millen on a daily basis.

Former Hamilton and Aberdeen winger Quitongo, on the other hand, joined the club in the summer on a short-term deal until January.

The 18-year-old has impressed in the Development League West, earning a place on the first-team bench for the 1-0 win over Livingston last month and now an extension to his deal.

Ton manager Jim Duffy told the Tele: “Lewis Strapp and Jai Quitongo are going to get 18-month contracts and we’ve just got to get the paperwork done.

“I’m delighted. Young Lewis just turned 16 there at the end of November. He’s a left-back, a really good player with terrific potential — a real prospect for the club. Jai initially came in on a short-term contract because we wanted him to prove he really wanted it.

“It was nothing to do with his ability but just in terms of his mentality and his attitude.

“He’s been terrific, worked really hard, impressed in the games and got better. We think he deserves the 18-month contract and hopefully he can push himself forward to the first-team.

“He’s been in and around the squad, trained with us a few times and he needs to keep working hard and hopefully show his talent with Morton in the fullness of time.”