"It's great news for Nathan because this is what he has been striving for," under 18's boss Hugh McAuley told the club's official website.
"He did very well in pre-season when he trained with the reserve team and I know Gary was very impressed.
"This news has given everybody at the Academy a boost. When you see a young lad who has been at the Academy since the age of 14 go to Melwood it's fantastic.
"This is what our job is all about preparing young players so they can make that move to Melwood. Nathan's move will give all of the young lads with us a lot of confidence, because if you play well and impress then you are more than likely to get a chance to go to Melwood.
"Nathan is an exciting player with a lot of potential. He can take defenders on and score goals. He knows he's still got a lot of hard work ahead of him but he's not afraid of that. He will still play in our Under-18 team this season as well so we are delighted to have him available."