The summer transfer window drew to a close on Monday for Everton with a fair few pieces of business getting done or falling at the last hurdle.
The biggest loan exits at Under 21 level during the window were forwards 19 year old Martin Sherif (Rotherham United), 20 year old Francis Okoronkwo (Lincoln City) and 20 year old winger Isaac Heath (Accrington Stanley). I suppose you could add midfielder Harrison Armstrong (Preston North End) to that list as he is, incredibly, still 18 years old for another
4 months, but realistically he has already been promoted to the senior set-up.
We also saw an “over-age” player, 22 year old Tyler Onyango head to Stockport County and 20 year old goalkeeper Fraser Barnsley to a Merseyside club, AFC Marine.
That’s 6 younger players out with only 1 being welcomed in, and that was at U18 level, 16 year old centre back Reuben Gokah.
The outgoing players are at clubs spread across the English football tiers, from Armstrong in the 2nd tier, the Championship, right down to Barnsley in the 6th tier (National League North).
The aim obviously is to get these players accustomed to the demanding rigours of men’s football. Even for Barnsley, it will be a big challenge as he will have to defend his goal area against much physically stronger players than he has faced thus far. Heath, in spite of his slight frame, has shown himself to be able to ride challenges and look after himself. Sherif, certainly, and Okoronkwo will not find the physical side of the game a problem.
There is also the much-discussed opportunity for Armstrong to stand out at Championship level rather than feed off scraps of games from the substitutes bench. All these players have something to aim for in their Everton careers.
The tally of exits might have been higher but for an apparent injury suffered by 20 year old right back Roman Dixon that required surgery. He was also rumoured to join Onyango at Stockport but that will have to wait pending his recovery.
Others in the squad who are more experienced and were maybe due loans, were defenders Reece Welch, Eli Campbell, both 21 years old and having both been on loan before. There are a few windows still just about open for incoming players like the Dutch and Belgian leagues so there may yet be some movement for those two.
The reduced squad of professionals now of course will give greater opportunity to those stepping up from last year’s U18s which is the way it should be. I believe it looks like this:
Goalkeepers : George Pickford and Douglass Lukjanciks
Defenders: Roman Dixon, George Finney, Will Tamen, Reece Welch, Eli Campbell, Luca Davis, Aled Thomas, Odin Samuels-Smith and Josh van Schoor
Central midfield: Callum Bates, Jack Patterson, Francis Gomez and Harvey Foster
Attacking midfield: Jacob Beaumont-Clark, Kingsford Boakye, Joel Catesby, Braiden Graham and Justin Clarke
Strikers: George Morgan, Omari Benjamin, Coby Ebere and Ceiran Loney
A few of those players, namely Dixon, Welch and Foster have been absent from any line up at any level and Boakye is, sadly, injured again so the current available squad is not as bloated as it looks.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season (performance)
In assessing the rest of the season from a performance rather than development perspective, the squad will find it hard to replace the 13 goals last year by Martin Sherif and they’ll also miss the energy, skill and versatility of Isaac Heath.
There are uncanny similarities to the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the senior squad as there is a shortage of right backs (although the incumbent, Finney, has made an excellent start), low numbers in the central midfield and also a shortage of experience in the striker department. Similar to the seniors, the attacking midfield looks better stocked in number and quality.
The rest of the season (development)
Making bold predictions about who might stand out at this level or break through is always tricky but I’m tempted to say that, if they continue to work hard and listen to the coaches, Graham (left) and Finney (right), both pictured below plus Clarke and Morgan could be key figures this term. Morgan especially, has a massive opportunity to establish himself as the main striker.
Clarke and Graham had some involvement with the seniors so could find themselves on the fringes of that at some point during the season. Good luck to all the players trying to prove themselves within the club and on loan!
