Duffus challenged to earn a new deal

Wednesday, 8 February, 2017 13comments  |  Jump to most recent
Courtney Duffus will be playing for his Everton future over the remainder of the season as the end of his current contract looms.

Under-23s manager, David Unsworth, says that the 21-year-old striker, for whom an offer from Brighton & Hove Albion was rejected on transfer deadline day last month, will be given every opportunity to earn a new deal.

“Courtney has come back into some form over the last few weeks and we don't want to give up on him,” Unsworth said in the Liverpool Echo.

“Before he got his injury [in 2014-15], he was on the bench for the first-team and [were it not] for John Stones getting sent off, he would have made his debut back when the first team were in Europe.

“So, we've never given up on him. There was an offer, it was declined, and he's in our thoughts and it's up to Courtney to earn a contract and we want to give him every opportunity to do that because you have got to stay at big clubs for as long as you can.”  



Reader Comments (13)

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Robert Leigh
1 Posted 08/02/2017 at 09:46:39
Good news.

Though at 21 years old, it's probably unlikely that he'll get a look in with Calvert-Lewin & Lookman younger and ahead of him in the pecking order. If we give him a new deal & he heads out on loan to a League One or Championship club we could get a decent fee for him, as the club grows under Moshiri & Koeman this will happen more and more; similar to how Chelsea et al operate.

Though if he gets his chance and starts banging them in – it's a win-win!

Dave Williams
2 Posted 08/02/2017 at 10:05:07
Whatever happened to his brother, Tyronne, who was on our books?
David Hallwood
3 Posted 08/02/2017 at 11:05:09
You're probably right Robert (#1) but football like all athletics is Darwinwesque, therefore it's up to the player to get himself noticed.

Obviously Unsy holds him in high regard and he's just come back from injury (what is it about put academy and injuries?). So it's a case of over to you Mr Duffus

Alan J Thompson
4 Posted 08/02/2017 at 14:27:45
An offer for him not much more than a month ago is rejected and now they say he has to play for a new contract due at the end of the season, 3 months? Is it just me that doesn't know what is going on?
George Freeman
5 Posted 08/02/2017 at 15:12:47
Dave (#2)

Duffus spent part of the 2015-16 campaign on loan at Evo-Stik League Northern Premier outfit Skelmersdale United, before signing fresh terms with the Toffees in the summer of 2016.

Thomas Surgenor
6 Posted 08/02/2017 at 15:47:31
Alan J, I'm sure the offer was for a nominal fee – maybe even to take him on free. Let Unsi see if he up's his game over the next few months. If not he can move onto pastures new with the club's blessing.
Kristian Boyce
7 Posted 08/02/2017 at 16:07:10
According to the official site, there are 12 forward players who have played for the U23s this season. Some are out on loan at the moment, but even still that's a huge amount of players vying for 1-2 positions. I know that the reformatted Premier League 2 was designed so teams could develop players a little longer, but with a new batch of U18s graduating at the end of the season, some players are going to need to leave.

Duffus is in a bit of a strange situation. At 21 and only having the experience of 3 league games at Bury a couple of years ago on loan, you would think the club wouldn't be renewing his contract. But there was a bid for him a couple of weeks back from Brighton, who will be in the Premier League next season, so he obviously is highly rated.

Also, putting things into perspective, Lukaku is only 2 years older than him, and we just signed two 19-year-olds into the first team picture. I would imagine the club may give him a one year contract and send him out to a Championship team for a season to give him that experience.

Peter Gorman
8 Posted 08/02/2017 at 16:48:18
Sadly, I can't see things working out for Courtney Duffus. The injuries as usual – he has missed too much development time and now as Kristian says, there are younger players capable of getting the nod ahead of him.

I'd think the younger Antony Evans and (on the evidence of a recent U23s game) Bassala Sambou are better prospects now. Even Delial Brewster could come back blazing from his loan spell.

If Duffus stays, he runs a great risk of being then next McAleny – starting a proper career in football in his mid-twenties. Shame because he comes across as a good lad but such is the way in football with injuries and the reason we have so many youngsters on the books.

Tony Abrahams
9 Posted 08/02/2017 at 17:11:13
When you are a young kid who has had a few problems with either form or injuries, then the best words that you could ever hear are those that have just been spoken by David Unsworth.

"We will never give up on you", shows how well the club is being run for the players who are just below the first-team squad.

Unsworth seems to have a great rapport with all the young kids at the club, which is heart-warming to see because it's what every young kid needs when he's trying to break through in football.

Kristian Boyce
10 Posted 08/02/2017 at 17:16:25
Peter, unbelievably McAleny is going to be 25 this year! He's older than Besic, Lukaku, Deulofeu and Barkley. Talk about wasting half a career...
Paul Birmingham
11 Posted 08/02/2017 at 22:12:09
He's worked hard to get back, but the clock is ticking and I reckon this is his last chance saloon at a EFC. I'd love him to make it at a high standard but the spark, belief and magic and consistency are key factors now.

His lay off play is good now he needs to get some doubles in the last 6 games left. Big ask but I hope he gets another crack next season with Unsworth's team.

Alan J Thompson
12 Posted 10/02/2017 at 03:00:32
Thomas (#6);

You're probably right but we seem to be forever told that going out on loan is good for the players improvement.

Time at a club near the lead of the Championship would be a great opportunity but if he is out of contract at the seasons end could he have signed a pre-contractual agreement with the fee set by a tribunal as he is a junior player?

Perhaps Brighton did not want a loan arrangement or guarantee playing time. The only sure thing is that I'm not sure about any of it.

Kieran Fitzgerald
13 Posted 23/02/2017 at 06:41:31
Alan J.,

Browning is playing full games every week at Preston. They're not far off the play-offs as far as I know. It would make your point about being on loan at a Championship club a good one.


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