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Three Everton Players In Need of a Loan Move

The loan window for Football League clubs is now open and it could be the ideal time for some of EvertonÂ’s youngsters to head out for first-team experience.

12/09/2015 7comments  |  Jump to last

The loan window for Football League clubs is now open and it could be the ideal time for some of Everton's youngsters to head out for first-team experience.

With the option of just sending out players for an initial month, Roberto Martinez must weigh up who of his fringe players and younger members of the first-team squad are in need of playing time.

Роберто Мартинес / Roberto Martà­nez

by Aleksandr Osipov

Martinez has ruled out signing any free agents and so he will be wary about leaving his squad too short on options, but there are certainly players who would benefit from a temporary spell away from Goodison Park.

Here are three players who would likely gain the most from the chance to play more regular first-team football.

Tyias Browning

The 21-year-old has already had one unsuccessful stint away from Everton after a brief spell on loan at Wigan Athletic in early 2014. He was recalled after making just two appearances and so Martinez wouldn't want to put Browning in the position of enduring what would feel like another wasted loan spell. Browning has yet to start a Premier League game for the club after featuring as a substitute in away games against Liverpool and Manchester United last season. This season, he came on for the last couple of minutes against Southampton and played nearly all of the second half against Manchester City following an injury to Brendan Galloway. Only an injury crisis, though, is likely to see Browning make the starting line-up at the moment and a loan deal at a Championship club, whose football betting odds suggest they can challenge for promotion, would be beneficial.

Mason Holgate

The summer signing from Barnsley was on the bench for the 5-3 win over his former club in the Capital One Cup last month, but it's unlikely to be repeated in the Premier League over the next couple of months. Holgate, who turns 19 in October, has parallels to John Stones, who was also signed from Barnsley, in that his first-team appearances for the South Yorkshire club were only in the 20s before he joined Everton. But, with Stones and Phil Jagielka such an established partnership at present, it's hard to envisage Holgate breaking into the first team this season. Martinez understandably sees him as one for the future and the versatile defender would surely benefit from a couple of months with a Championship club.

Conor McAleny

McAleny turned 23 in August and it's approaching four years since he made his Everton debut as a substitute against Arsenal in December 2011. He also appeared against Norwich, but hasn't featured in the Premier League since, although he was an unused substitute in the 2-2 draw with Watford. The pacey striker has been out on loan before with Scunthorpe and Brentford, where he broke his leg in the early weeks of the 2013/14 season. He also joined Cardiff on loan in the latter stages of last season and scored twice in eight appearances. McAleny showed then he is capable of performing in the Championship and, with a contract at Everton until 2017, the club aren't giving up on him yet. Though he does offer a different style to Everton's other strikers, his best prospects of ever being a Goodison regular are by impressing out on loan.

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Reader Comments (7)

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Sam Hoare
1 Posted 12/09/2015 at 08:23:12
Browning is surely our 4th choice CB but agree about the others. Could add Grant, Ledson and Henen to the list.
Steve Cotton
2 Posted 12/09/2015 at 09:14:15
When you leave the squad this short on centre backs, then you can't afford to let too many go out on loan or there won't be any back up on the bench.
Steavey Buckley
4 Posted 12/09/2015 at 11:07:03
If Premier League clubs are allowed to reintroduce a second 11 Premier League team (reserve team), there would be no need to send younger players out on loan to gain experience with established professionals. They would be playing with and against the second best players. More than a match for any other team outside of the Premier League.
Robin Cannon
5 Posted 12/09/2015 at 16:16:05
Loaning players out isn't just the default option of they're not involved in the first team. It can be just as important for them to have access to better training facilities, integration into the squad, etc.

Of those three I only really see Browning as getting the most benefit ; on the fringes of the first team squad, genuinely likely to benefit from regular first team games of a good quality.

For Holgate ; what's the point at this stage? He's just had some regular football with Barnsley, let him integrate into our setup for a while. And for McAleny, at his age almost feels counter productive. A player who only ever goes on loan. I think he'd be better basically pursuing a make or break attempt to push for more first team recognition.

Tony George
6 Posted 12/09/2015 at 19:28:33
What was wrong with the old Reserve team leagues - Central League up here and Football Combination down south ?

All this 'age group' nonsense restricts the up and coming players to playing with those more limited and prevents first team squad members from playing themselves into form or fitness.

Phill Thompson
7 Posted 14/09/2015 at 13:43:53
For me, Holgate hasn't been here long enough yet to warrant a loan, unless it's back to Barnsley. Usually we like to have our academy graduates for at least one year, usually two, before they are loaned out. This ensures they have started their full time career in a sound manner "the Everton Way".

When we buy in a youngster, we don't usually let them out on loan unless they have been with us for a time e.g. Galloway and Henen. So I think Holgate needs a full season at Finch Farm before a loan out is considered; it will give us a chance to see how he's developing. It's also likely that he would be needed to cover right back if Browning is allowed out on loan.

Rick Tarleton
8 Posted 17/09/2015 at 14:51:29
All those wide players we buy, but never use: Deulofeu, Lennon, Mirallas, McGeady, surely they can be converted into central defenders? We have a plan, we don't just buy blindly.

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