….sadly not. I think with Everton, players who go on loan are surplus to requirements so their failure to impress is usually confirmation that they’re not going to come through with us.
It’s a bit different with the likes of Chelsea who historically had a rich pool of young talent (regularly winning FA Youth Cups) whose route to the first team is blocked by expensive recruits. Our successful loans (players who have a career with us after a loan) are often young players we’ve purchased, like Branthwaite, Coleman and Holgate.
From an Academy perspective, we can point to Gordon, Osman and Barkley, although those last two had major injuries at a significant stage of their development. I’m not anti-loans per se, I just think it’s a bad sign at Everton when an Academy youngster is sent out.
Yes I agree but how many players that go on loan at other clubs come back and have careers at their parent clubs, not many I can think of.
I think a lot of it buys us time to see how they do. The one I’m interested in is Lewis Warrington. Whenever I’ve seen him play he’s looked a prospect.
A player has to go on loan to the right club at the right time, imagine there’s an element of luck in that too.