From Henry Onyekuru to Shani Tarashaj, it has truly been a pleasure writing these loan reports over the last few seasons. Most of the time. Okay, some of the time. Here’s my last one, looking at how Everton loanees have fared across this campaign as a whole. A couple have been brilliant, others have forgotten what a football looks like. Let’s get into it…
Ligue 1
Moise Kean – PSG
The success story of the season in terms of Everton loanees looks almost certain to leave Goodison Park on a permanent deal this summer, with PSG reportedly planning a bid to match Everton’s increased valuation given the season Moise Kean has had.
The striker’s 17 goals have made him a key part of an attack involving Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria. He has played across the front line, mostly in the middle but also on either wing cutting inside. He remained a key part of the side following Thomas Tuchel’s departure and Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival over the New Year.
He bagged three goals in the Champions League, notably against Barcelona at the Nou Camp, with the other two both coming in the same game against İstanbul Başakşehir. The potential he showed in his Juventus days is finally being reached, with Everton just an unfortunate bump in the road. However, that bump in the road could turn a profit of up to £20 million, so we’re not complaining.
Many Evertonians want to see Kean back at Goodison Park next season with Everton thin on the ground in terms of strikers, but from his quotes in the press stating his desire to stay at the Parc des Princes, that is the last thing on the player’s mind.
Süper Lig
Cenk Tosun – Beşiktaş
The Turk’s emotional return to his former club has unfortunately been plagued by injury. Tosun managed to start just twice for his loan club due to knee issues. On his return off the bench, the 29-year-old bagged twice in less than half an hour on the field, and notched a goal and an assist in his two starts.
He recently told Turkish daily Hurriyet, “I will return to Everton but Beşiktaş is my home.” The striker has another year left on his contract at Goodison Park, but a move will almost certainly be explored this summer.
Eredivisie
Nathangelo Markelo – FC Twente
The right-back has been largely out of favour in his home country, starting just three games all season. He has frequently been an option off the bench, making ten substitute appearances, but was out for an extended spell with a medial collateral ligament injury.
The 22-year-old still has another year left on his Everton contract having earned an extension last summer. The club are on the lookout for a young right-back and wanted to check on Markelo’s progress in the senior game, but unfortunately he hasn’t been able to make much of it.
Scottish Premier League
Jonjoe Kenny – Celtic
Oh, Jonjoe. The 24-year-old has been an ever-present in Celtic’s disappointing league campaign since joining on January deadline day, so the management must think well of him. However, the fans most certainly don’t. After poor performances in the Old Firm Derbies in which Kenny was arguably culpable for three goals, he always had an uphill task winning the Celtic faithful over.
It appears Kenny will return to Goodison Park this summer with a year left on his contract, but likely not to be the young right-back which the club are searching for.
Premier League
Theo Walcott – Southampton
The winger has been unfortunate with injuries during his loan spell with Southampton, but has proved himself to be a useful addition to their squad when fit. He contributed three goals and as many assists in 21 Premier League starts, and has earned himself a permanent contract at the club he first established himself at.
Although it didn’t quite click for Walcott during his three years at Everton, we made some great memories including the limbs after that last-minute winner at Watford last season. Best of luck to Theo in the rest of his career.
Championship
Dennis Adeniran – Wycombe Wanderers
Apart from a mysterious disappearance from the first team in the middle of the season (there were murmurs of him joining up with Wycombe’s under-23s for some time), Adeniran has been one of few shining lights in a disappointing crack at the Championship for Wycombe.
He was positive in 10 of the first 12 games of the season for The Chairboys, before featuring in just three of their next 24 games, being an unused substitute in four of them. He then returned to the side for all eight of their last remaining fixtures, and was a bright spark once again despite registering just an assist all season.
The 22-year-old recently announced on social media that he would be leaving Everton at the end of his contract this summer, so we wish him the best of luck in finding a new club and expect that the flashes of quality he showed in the Championship this season will stand him in good stead.
Lewis Gibson – Reading
The 20-year-old defender has been in and out of the Reading team this season, making a total of 13 Championship appearances. Many of these were at left-back, until we gently reminded Veljko Paunović that he was a centre-back. Not the loan spell one of Everton’s more promising youngsters will have hoped for, but he has another year left on his Everton contract to prove himself in senior football.
Jarrad Branthwaite – Blackburn Rovers
It all started so well for the centre-back, but the loan spell unfortunately didn’t stay that way. No defeats in his first three games and 90 minutes in all of his first nine games spelled great experience for the 18-year-old, until some poor performances and a downturn in team form led to him being dropped from the team.
Branthwaite played just one of the last 14 games for Blackburn after joining on loan in January, failing to make the squad in six of those. The lad is still very young and still has two years left on his current Everton deal, so has time to redeem this poor loan spell next season.
Yannick Bolasie – Middlesbrough
Bolasie played 15 games for Boro after joining on loan in January, and spent the majority of his time on the field as a make-shift striker under Neil Warnock. He managed to bag two goals and three assists in the role, and Warnock has expressed his desire to sign the 32-year-old on a permanent deal when his Everton contract runs out this summer.
The manager was typically honest when asked about the possibility of a permanent deal: “It’ll depend on what offers Yannick gets, I suppose. I’ve spoken to him about the situation.
“I don’t think he’ll get a Premier League club if I’m honest, so it’ll probably come down to whether he wants to play in the Championship or whether he’d rather go abroad because I think that’s where the money is. He’s got enough money anyway, hasn’t he?”
Very strange man, is Neil Warnock. Best of luck to Bolasie, anyway.
Anthony Gordon – Preston North End
The 20-year-old played 11 times for Preston since joining on loan in January, but was left on the bench for the team’s last five games. Just five of his appearances were from the start, and despite some bright displays out wide under departed manager Alex Neil, the interim gaffer Frankie McAvoy’s 3-5-2 system had no place for Gordon.
Another loan spell in the Championship or even another Premier League side is likely the best course of action for the player, unless Ancelotti fancies giving him another go.
Beni Baningime – Derby County
Baningime got on the pitch just twice for Derby since moving on loan in January, and one of those was for three minutes of a 3-0 defeat to Rotherham United. The 22-year-old played 90 minutes of his other appearance, but it was a 4-0 defeat to Cardiff City.
Wayne Rooney told media that he hadn’t found the right time for the central midfielder to come into the team given his side’s struggles, so just as last season’s disappearance at Wigan Athletic was, it has unfortunately been another unsuccessful loan spell for Beni. He still has a year left on his Everton deal, so let’s hope for third time lucky next season.
League One
Callum Connolly – Fleetwood Town
Now here’s a success story. Connolly has become an integral part of Fleetwood’s team under both Joey Barton and then Simon Grayson, gaining the captain’s armband and being an ever-present in their last 40 games. He has left Everton this summer and joined the Cod Army on a permanent deal.
It’s great to see Callum find a home, after he was loaned out eight times during his time with Everton and squashed into all of left-back, right-back central defensive midfield, and central attacking midfield before settling at centre-back. After several years all over the place, the 23-year-old has finally found his feet somewhere and even if he is moving on from Goodison Park, can be counted as a successful product of Everton’s academy.
Matthew Pennington – Shrewsbury Town
Another nice little heart-warming one. In a similar situation to Connolly, Pennington was loaned out seven times during his Everton days but has finally settled in League One this season.
Slightly older than Connolly at 26 years old now, Pennington has also found his feet at centre-back at but has also been asked to slot in at right-back on occasions, performing well for the Shrews in both roles. Also like Connolly, he has bagged two goals from the heart of defence this season.
He has left Everton this summer after 16 years with the club, joining Shrewsbury on a permanent deal. We wish Matty the best of luck for the rest of his career.
Ellis Simms – Blackpool
Another success story to end on, but it’s definitely not the end for this lad just yet. The 20-year-old has bagged 10 goals for Blackpool since joining on loan in January, including three braces. He was unfortunate to miss out on the play-off final due to a knock, but his goals certainly helped the Seasiders to promotion.
Anyway, thanks for reading my loan reports whether you’ve just read this one or whether you’ve been reading all the way back to the good old days of big Shani. It’s been emotional. Up the Toffees.
@TomClarke40
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