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Liverpool Echo

Sport

Joe Thomas

Everton starlets impress behind scenes as Frank Lampard tracks U21s quartet

Frank Lampard Everton Lewis Warrington Stanley Mills Reece Welch U21s Isaac Price Anthony Gordon Kevin lwell Arsenal

Frank Lampard is pleased with the progress of some of his most talented young stars despite their first team opportunities being limited by summer signings.

Lewis Warrington, Stanley Mills and Reece Welch impressed during Everton's pre-season tour of the US and saw their exposure to the senior squad continue into the start of the Premier League campaign. Five of the Blues' eight summer signings then came after the first game against Chelsea as Lampard strengthened in the final weeks of the transfer window.

That activity has led to fewer chances for the youngsters, with Warrington going on loan to Fleetwood Town to continue his professional development and Mills and Welch predominately being used in the Under-21s. Lampard said he is following all three and has been pleased with their response. He added another starlet, Isaac Price, is likely to get more opportunities in and around the first team - which the teenager trained with this week.

Everton have an exciting crop of young stars looking to follow the path of Anthony Gordon and Tom Davies into the first team. With the club's strategic review leading to a greater focus on developing academy talent, and Lampard having a reputation for supporting the progress of starlets at his previous clubs, they could be breaking through at a time when there is more opportunity available at Finch Farm. While the summer squad overhaul led to increased competition for places, Lampard has remained keen to use youth players in first team training sessions - with Tom Cannon also joining in this week after the teenage striker's impressive form in Premier League 2.

Warrington, Mills and Welch excelled in the US, each producing positive performances in the second half against Arsenal in Baltimore. Such was the impression they made their chances continued throughout pre-season and into the new campaign, with Warrington and Mills both named on the bench against Chelsea. All three have been handed new contracts over the summer as Everton and director of football Kevin Thelwell have sought to secure their futures with the club.

Their rise was crowned at Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup, when Warrington and Mills were given their first-team debuts and Welch made his first start for the senior squad. Revealing his delight at the progress of Warrington and Mills, Lampard said after the game: "They've both been first-class since pre-season started - attitude and training levels. I thought Lewis was brilliant today when he came on. And when I say brilliant, people might ask, 'Was he brilliant?' Well, yes, because he got us playing. He received it and did basic things in midfield. Receive, play, move, open up the game... he did it. He's an Evertonian. He was delighted to come on the pitch and it was oozing out of him. I love that. He wanted to play for the club and come on. It was a big moment for him and I'm really pleased for him.

"Stanley has been outstanding in training and deserves it. He can play anywhere, in so many different areas for us. He's a great pro, great athlete, good player and obviously been taught well by his dad in terms of how he approaches his game. I was pleased that he could get on but just upset he couldn't get another couple of moments because he's quick and he can make things happen."

Since then, Warrington has joined Fleetwood and has forced his way into the first team - having an instant impact in a side that has lost just one of the six league games he has been involved in. Mills has seen the majority of his action in the U21s, which he captained in the Papa John's Trophy against League Two Harrogate Town's senior side. He scored in that game - and then again at the weekend in the U21s' win at Crystal Palace. Welch, who made his first team debut under Lampard in the FA Cup against Boreham Wood last season, has also seen his action in the U21s and was handed a new contract this month, Thelwell saying: "He is another example of the clear pathway that is there for players from our academy into the first team. Reece now has the opportunity to continue to learn from the talented defenders we have in the squad, and to keep pushing for more first team football, ahead of what we all hope is a long and successful career with Everton.”

Price, another who made his debut against Boreham Wood and was then involved in the final Premier League game of last season at Arsenal, has also impressed and Lampard suggested he was in contention for more first-team squad involvement. Asked by the ECHO how he felt about the progress of the academy starlets since the season started, Lampard said: "Pleased. It is a funny period in a young player's career because they have a taste of the first team and they want more of that, expect more of that a little bit as well and sometimes it is not the case, and they have to go back to being the best player, in the U21s for instance. As much as I can I will always try and have them with us in training, they have to deserve that and they have to merit that and sometimes numbers of the squad doesn't allow you maybe to bring Isaac Price with us so much at the moment but there will be opportunities for him for sure.

"But going back to the U21s it is time to become the best player in the U21s or there or thereabouts, and when you come back [to the first team squad] you have developed again, so it is that in-between period for them all so I think it becomes not just a job for me it becomes a job for myself and my staff and the link to the academy and the U21s manager etc, and Bainesy [Leighton Baines, U18s head coach] to keep across that so the players always feel like they are progressing or getting the right support they need. Sometimes that is a push but all the lads [including Warrington, Mills and Welch] are doing well and I'm sure if they keep developing they will get opportunities with us again."

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