Warrington joins Plymouth on loan

Interesting that Plymouth have some solid Everton connections: Steven Schumacher is manager and Neil Dewsnip is Director of Football. We should be looking to develop that relationship and get more of our kids experience with them, especially since they're in the Championship now.

And Schumacher for Everton manager at some point??

It would be very difficult for the lad to step into such a role against world class players in the Premier League. Playing in the Championship, managed by people who know him, is a fantastic opportunity – good luck to him. I shall look forward to news of how he is getting on.

They don't want a Tom Davies situation where he was thrown in early, then sat on the bench for years before leaving on a free. He never got the Championship loan he arguably needed to kick on and the club see it as a cautionary tale.

Makes total sense to loan these lads out. The clamour for them to play this season is madness. Neither have played a minute even in the Championship – yet some want them playing against the likes of Rodri and Salah etc at Goodison Park of all places.

The very same people would probably be the ones giving them abuse when they inevitably can't cut it just yet.

Loans are perfect for these lads.

1) Great chance for him to get another 3000+ competitive minutes for a team who will fight against relegations at the Championship (every one of those minutes will carry high stakes, which can only be good for youngster development)

2) Helping an Ex-Evertonian in Stephen Schumacher, the Plymouth Gaffer

Lewis is neither ready to be a Box-to-Box Midfielder (like Doucoure) or a Deep-lying Playmaker (like Gareth Barry) at Premiership level, so instead of having him rotten on the bench, might as well send him out to play against tough competitions every week.

The blemish about the move, however, is that we did not sign him to at least a 1 year extension (till June 2025) before sending him out on loan. If he pans out and make dramatic improvement by next May, the leverage would be in Lewis' camp to ask for a large raise on salary that might be beyond what Thelwell and the club would be comfortable to offer. Even worse would be Isaac Price 2.0, where Lewis' camp would source offers from clubs in the continent who would gladly pay up the meager 6 Digit "training compensation" to sign him.

That would be another disastrous Asset Management after Isaac Price.

(Some would argue that if Price was sold after the trip to Australia last winter, we might not get too much more than the £400K compensation from Standard Liège. But the difference is that if we struck a deal last winter, we can negotiate Add-Ons beyond the initial amount into the deal. When Standard Liège signed Price away, we were devoid of that leverage and were at the mercy of the UEFA like someone at the Food Bank.)

I understand that Thelwell's decision not to offer Lewis an extension might be influenced by Dyche's lack of conviction on Lewis as a talent. But still, having Lewis tied to an extension before sending him out on loan should be the Modus Operandi on retaining control on an asset. If Lewis has another decent season at the Championship, I am quite certain that he can be sold next summer for at least a low 7-Digit sum if needed. This option will not be available until having Lewis signed to an extension.

Grade for this move as of now = C+

(will be upgraded to B+ if Lewis is signed to an extension)

Correct me if I'm wrong but, if he gets off to flyer, they can offer him an extension at any point as he's an Everton player. It's not like they're bound to transfer windows with him, is it?

That would be my understanding, happy to be proved wrong though. 👍

I share your opinion that Dyche might not be convinced enough on Lewis that he told Thelwell to put the contract extension on hold.

Lewis is still a caterpillar now, but if he breaks out of a cocoon and become a butterfly anytime during his time down south, the extra attentions from other clubs will become new external options for him (that are otherwise not available at this point of writing) and that is where we would begin ceding control and leverage to Lewis's camp.

Whatever happens I wish Lewis the best of luck with his career.