Hello, and welcome to the first loan feature of 2023/24. These reports will provide weekly updates on how the loanees are progressing away from Goodison Park and hopefully give some insight into their futures as Everton players. As the season nears the halfway stage, let’s take a look at their recent results, and how they’ve been getting on so far.
National League
Harry Tyrer – Chesterfield- 1st out of 24
The Crosby-born stopper has enjoyed a successful start to his loan spell, as he sits at the top of the National League table with his new club Chesterfield.
Tyrer caught the eye of his current manager, Paul Cook, whilst on loan at Chester last season, playing every minute as the Seals reached the Conference North Play-Offs, in his first season in men’s football.
The 21-year-old has continued to impress so far this campaign, playing in all but two of Chesterfield’s fixtures, as the Spireites’ charge for promotion has given them a healthy lead at the top.
Cook has been particularly pleased with the ‘keeper’s desire to improve.
He said: “From the minute he came through the door, his appetite to train and work ethic have been first class. He looks to get better every day, and he is absolutely improving.”
Tyrer first made himself known to Evertonian’s during Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure, keeping a clean sheet in a pre-season friendly win over Preston North End.
The boyhood blue has continued his development superbly ever since, as he aims to become the first Liverpool-born goalkeeper to don the gloves for Everton since Andy Rankin in 1971.
Tyrer featured again in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Eastleigh, as Chesterfield stretched their advantage over second-placed Bromley to eleven points.
The home side raced into a three-goal lead after the break, before Eastleigh set up a nervy finish with two goals in five minutes heading into the final stages.
The league leaders stood firm, though, as the Everton loanee recorded a 17th win of the season.
Appearances: 20
Clean Sheets: 5
Premier League
Neal Maupay – Brentford- 11th out of 20
The Frenchman joined the Toffees in 2022 and had an underwhelming campaign to say the least, registering just one goal in 29 appearances.
Maupay was rescued from his Everton nightmare by former club Brentford this summer, where he has scored one in seven to date.
The 27-year-old’s goal against West Ham in November ended a goal drought of 35 games, his last goal coming, ironically, against the Hammers back in September 2022.
More notably than the strikers form at the Bees were his comments about Everton made recently, which hasn’t gone down too well with Evertonian’s.
Maupay’s woes in front of goal continued this weekend, as he missed a golden opportunity to level the score late on against Arsenal on Saturday, only to shank the ball wide from close range.
Brentford suffered a late 1-0 defeat at home to the Gunners, with the loanee being subbed on in the 72nd minute.
A permanent transfer come the end of the season looks increasingly likely.
Appearances: 8
Goals: 1
Championship
Mason Holgate – Southampton- 4th out of 24
Once touted as John Stones successor, Holgate has had a rough couple of years in blue and it was no surprise to see him out the door this window.
The former Everton player of the year was shipped off to Southampton in the summer, where his woes have continued, racking up just four starts to date.
The 27-year-old defender was culpable for several goals conceded on his Saints debut- a 5-0 defeat at Sunderland- and hasn’t regained his place since.
Holgate, who has played 149 times for Everton, looks unlikely to return to his parent club next season as his career as a Premier League footballer drifts away.
The loanee was an unused substitute again in Southampton’s most recent outing, a 1-0 home win to 12th placed Bristol City.
Victory for the Saints sees them remain in 4th place, 8 points shy of automatic promotion.
Appearances: 5
Goals: 0
Lewis Warrington – Plymouth Argyle- 19th out of 24
The young midfielder has had a challenging time on loan at Argyle so far, as he has failed to nail down a place in the first XI.
Warrington enjoyed two excellent loans in the past 18 months at Tranmere and Fleetwood, and the step to the Championship seemed an obvious one in the summer.
Argyle have had a decent campaign to date, as they are five points from relegation after their promotion last season and the form of Jordan Houghton has been key to their stability.
Unfortunately for Warrington, Houghton plays in the same position and chances for the Evertonian have been few and far between.
Warrington was an unused substitute again on Tuesday, as the Pilgrims suffered a 1-0 defeat at Coventry City.
The Wallasey-born star hasn’t featured since September.
Appearances: 4
Goals: 0
League One
Stanley Mills – Oxford United- 3rd out of 24
Mills’ first loan spell away from Goodison has been a successful one so far as the 20-year-old has featured heavily for a high-flying Oxford side.
The U’s are currently 2nd in League One, and the Everton youngster has been present in all but 3 matches this campaign.
The winger has found the net on just one occasion this term, however he has impressed many at the Kassam Stadium with his early season displays.
The ex-Leeds academy player enjoyed somewhat of a breakthrough season in 2022/23, as he made two League Cup appearances for the Toffees and was in several matchday squads.
The loanee suffered a disappointing weekend, however, as he was substituted at half-time as his side fell to a 2-0 defeat away to a resurgent Cheltenham Town.
Mills was again in the starting line-up on Tuesday night, playing 78 minutes in a 0-0 draw with table-toppers Bolton Wanderers.
These results have seen the loanee drop to 3rd, one point behind promotion rivals Portsmouth.
Appearances: 18
Goals: 1
League Two
Reece Welch – Forest Green Rovers- 23rd out of 24
The towering centre back joined Rovers on a season-long loan in August, as he looks to build on his two Everton appearances under Frank Lampard.
It has been a tough start for the newly relegated club, as they find themselves 23rd in League Two.
Despite this, Welch has featured in 14 of their 16 matches, and was selected for a team of the week last month.
An error at home to Grimsby Town last week was the lowest moment so far for the Everton man, and it has cost him his place in the starting XI for the time being.
Welch was dropped to the bench this weekend but was introduced for the final 20 minutes to help see out a 0-0 draw at Walsall.
The defender was again amongst the subs in midweek, as Rovers fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to mid-table Bradford City.
Appearances: 20
Goals: 0
National League North
Zan-Luk Leban- Farsley Celtic- 14th out of 24
The Slovenian U21 Goalkeeper joined National League North club Farsley Celtic this summer for his first taste of men’s football since joining Everton in 2019.
The 20-year-old has started well, solidifying the No.1 spot as the West Yorkshire club sit 14th in the table, four points off the Play-Off Spots.
The young stopper has kept six clean sheets so far this term, and even captained Slovenia u21s during the international break.
Leban continues to train with Everton during the week, as he continues his progression between the sticks.
The loanee was in fine form again this weekend, as he recorded another clean sheet against Hereford- his second shutout of the week.
Back-to-back 0-0’s have continued Celtic’s unspectacular season, but Leban is proving himself to be a very promising young ‘keeper.
Appearances: 16
Clean Sheets: 6
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