Gareth Ainsworth believes the latest player to put pen to paper on a new deal could surprise a few next season.
Euan Williams didn’t see a lot of action last season, with just five League 2 starts and another five EFL appearances off the bench, but he was still offered a new deal, which has now been signed.
Williams, 22, came through the academy at Charlton Athletic and played England youth football before switching to Northern Ireland, where he’s played for the under-21s.
Ainsworth handed Williams a start against MK Dons, five games into his tenure, but an injury in that game meant the midfielder had to wait until the last game of the season to play again, starting against Port Vale.
Williams will now get another season to make his mark and Ainsworth’s excited to see what he can bring to the squad.
“Euan gives a real intelligence between the midfield and attack,” said the Gills boss.
“He plays that position of an attacking midfielder.
“If you watch the Port Vale game and the (winning) goal, Euan’s run takes somebody out of the way. Little unseen things that people won’t see, what he contributes.
“He started against MK Dons and got a huge whack and a dead leg but prior to that, again, making some really good breaking runs from midfield.
“If I’m honest, he hasn’t shown the best by a long shot of what he can do, but he’s had a couple of injuries.
“Everyone tells me that Euan is a special talent and can have some potential in this place.
“It was a no-brainer to get somebody who wants to be in so much.
“He’s local. He wants to learn off the likes of Bradley Dack.
“I think Euan could definitely be one that people are very surprised by this season and I hope so because he’s a cracking lad as well.
“Euan’s definitely part of the plans going forward.”
With Williams signing his new deal, it leaves defender Conor Masterson as the only outstanding player from last season’s squad still in negotiations over fresh terms.
There’s interest elsewhere in the former Liverpool player and Ainsworth accepts that the 26-year-old will be keeping his options open.
Speaking on Monday, the Gills boss said: “We’d like to keep Conor and we’ll see where that goes but at the moment it’s in the negotiation stage.
“It’s still very early in the transfer window. We’re a long way off the start of next season and I can understand players being patient at this time of year but Conor’s definitely one I’d want to work with again.
“Conor’s a good lad and ended the season really well for me.”
If Masterson doesn’t sign, the Gills will be left with just Shad Ogie and Sam Gale – aged 23 and 20 – as the senior centre-backs at the club.
The Gills are due back for the start of pre-season in the last week of June, when Ainsworth will hope to have the bulk of his squad in place. Their first friendly is on Tuesday, July 8 at Dover.
Ainsworth’s looking to add one more pre-season game to the calendar – which could be played behind closed doors – along with an in-house squad match.
“I’m a big believer in the players getting fitness from games,” he said.
“The two here (at Priestfield against Luton and Reading) are going to be really exciting. Higher league opposition will be a real test for us but the local clubs around this area are really good and really accommodating.”
The Gills will be heading for senior games at Dover, Dartford and Ebbsfleet United next month.
