England Under-19 defender Brendan Galloway from MK Dons have signed pen in the paper for Everton for an undisclosed fee.

The 18-year-old player has nodded a five-year contract and will begin his career at Goodison Park in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League. Everton will open their Division 1 campaign at home to Leicester City on Monday 18 August; in the long term Galloway is eyeing a first-team spot and keeping his hopes up in learning from Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka that will boost his chances.

"It means an awful lot to me coming to such a great club," Galloway told evertonfc.com. "I'm now looking forward to learning off some of the more senior players - the likes of Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka."

He added: "I've been watching them for years now and they're great professionals, great players - players who have been there and done it. That's a big thing for me to be able to learn off guys like that."

"Short-term, I just want to work hard to better myself as a footballer here, which I know I will with the coaches and other staff here.  Long-term, I also want to get in the Everton team and play week in and week out in the Premier League and play in a team that's doing well, which I know we will do."

Galloway became MK Dons' youngest player to represent the first team when he played against Nantwich Town in November 2011 aged 15, and the club manager Karl Robinson was sad to see him go.

"Brendan can be as good as he wants to be and I wish him all the luck in the world," Robinson told mkdons.com. "He's going to a fantastic football club in Everton that will only aid his development."

Galloway is the fourth signing made by Roberto Martinez this summer, after Romelu Lukaku, Muhamed Besic and Gareth Barry.

(Source: Barclays Premier League official website)