DEAN KEATES says Luke Young thoroughly deserves to have his contract extended until the end of the 2020-21 season.

The 27-year-old midfielder, who joined the Reds on a two-year deal from Torquay in the summer of 2018, has activated an extension in his contract that will keep him at The Racecourse for a further 12 months.

Although Wrexham are battling to avoid relegation, Young has played every league game this term and been a consistent performer, making him a leading contender for the Player of the Season award, and it is that form that makes Keates delighted to have him part of his plans for the future.

"There was a clause in his contract and it has been activated. I'm glad it has," said Keates.

"Since I have been in charge, he has been one of the most consistent players.

"I love everything about him; the way he plays is how he trains - he is exactly the same Monday to Friday how he is on a Saturday.

"As a pro and how he is as a person, he is everything I want at the football club.

"It has not been a good season for us and it doesn't need highlighting. Everybody can see that, we don't want to be where we are and we are making strides to get away from it.

"But Luke's performances have been consistent; week in, week out, he has consistently performed around an eight out of ten."

The majority of the Wrexham squad will be out of contract in the summer but Keates says new deals are being put on hold with Wrexham still fighting to preserve their National League status.

"First and foremost, we need to make sure we get to where we need to be," said Keates.

"What is in Luke's contract is what he signed when he first came to the football club.

"It is something that I was happy for it to roll out and he will play his part going forward."

Young's fellow midfielder Akil Wright made his comeback from a hernia, which kept him out for two months, as a second half substitute in Saturday's 2-0 win at Bromley.

A delighted Keates, who brought Wright on when Kieran Kennedy went off injured, said: "He was a little bit rusty when he first came on but he found his way into the game.

"It was a decision I had to make. I could have put Kyle Barker on but with how the game was, they had the wind behind their backs and there was a lot of long balls coming into the box so with Akil's physical attributes, it was more a game suited to him."