The departure of Tom Davies from Everton could create a golden opportunity for Lewis Warrington.
The 20-year-old is highly thought of at Finch Farm and his departure last season was only sanctioned on the final day of the summer transfer window.
Such was his faith in the academy product’s potential, then-manager Frank Lampard had been reluctant to allow him to leave until the final hours - after the signings of Idrissa Gueye and James Garner had been confirmed.
That decision only came after the central midfielder had enjoyed an impressive trip to the US with the first team before making his senior debut in the Carabao Cup against Fleetwood Town - the club he would then go to play for last season under former Celtic star Scott Brown.
READ MORE: MSP close to Everton investment deal after £130m raised and Farhad Moshiri board changes
READ MORE: Bill Kenwright to STAY as Everton chairman as Farhad Moshiri joins board
In offering a new contract to Davies, Sean Dyche and director of football Kevin Thelwell clearly believed the club was better off with the 24-year-old than in exploring alternative options. For Davies, however, the time has come to leave the club he joined aged 11 and where he made such an impact as a teenager. His exit creates an issue for Dyche. Should the Blues boss want to stick to the three man central midfield that has been his favoured tactic so far, he could do with more than the four trusted senior options he currently has in Amadou Onana, James Garner, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Idrissa Gueye.
With him unlikely to place his faith in returning loanees Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Andre Gomes, and any experimentation with Dele Alli set to be costly due to the appearance clauses in the deal that took him to Everton from Tottenham Hotspur, the options appear limited across a summer in which money is set to be tight and in which strengthening in other areas is a greater priority.
This could create an opportunity for Warrington. With Isaac Price, another talented central midfielder on the verge of the senior team last year, having left for Standard Liege, Warrington is the best-placed academy starlet should Dyche be willing to give a youngster additional responsibility during this campaign. After successful loan spells at Tranmere Rovers and Fleetwood, where he became a key figure in a competitive League One side, he has picked up significant first team experience through his determination to develop in the senior game.
Speaking to the ECHO earlier this year, he said of his experience under Brown: “I’ve loved it, it has probably been the perfect loan up to now. I’ve learned loads off the gaffer and his staff and have got loads better as a player in a positional sense... It’s been really successful. I’ve learned loads, how keeping it simple is sometimes best, playing quick and keeping it one-two touch then finding new spaces to get onto the ball, and also putting more tackles in and reading the game well and landing on second balls. My whole game has improved.”
Those around Warrington believe he could thrive in the first team set-up and are hopeful that, like fellow academy talents Jarrad Branthwaite and Tom Cannon, he will be given a chance to impress during pre-season. Warrington has been working hard on his fitness during the close season in order to give himself the best chance of capitalising on any opportunities he gets.
A key part of director of football Kevin Thelwell’s ambition behind the scenes at Finch Farm is to promote the pathway from the academy to the first team. With Everton in desperate need of strengthening but with money tight, this season could be the perfect time for youth prospects to show they can help the first team.
