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Lee Ryder

Former Newcastle United wonderkid turns down Everton deal six years after controversial Toon exit

Former Newcastle United youngster Lewis Gibson has left Everton - six years after the Toffees lured him to Merseyside in a much-talked about deal.

At the time, the total transfer fee for the then 17-year-old was described as a potential £6million deal. Gibson has moved to ambitious Sky Bet Championship side Plymouth Argyle but not because he wasn't wanted at Everton any more, simply because he wanted first-team football.

Everton offered 22-year-old Gibson a new deal but he opted to switch to the south west and join the Pilgrims. In the end, Gibson's time with the Toffees consisted of a series of loan deals to Fleetwood, Reading, Bristol Rovers and Sheff Wed.

READ MORE: Newcastle United's six potential departures that could boost Eddie Howe's transfer hopes

Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher said: "Lewis is an outstanding young defender who has excellent pedigree having come through the youth set-ups at two Premier League clubs.

"He has also had a number of loan spells in the Football League that have developed him in to the player he is today. We are signing a ball-playing central defender who has his best years ahead of him and has so much room for development.

"Left-sided defenders are also hard to come by, especially of Lewis' quality, and we beat off a number of clubs trying to clinch his services. We are delighted he has chosen his future is with Argyle and look forward to him running out at Home Park in the Championship."

Chronicle Live kept in touch with Gibson's career after he left Newcastle during the Mike Ashley era. He told us in 2019: "It's a great club (Everton). Since I moved here I haven't looked back.

"I loved my time at Newcastle and I am thankful for what they did for me in my seven or eight years there. When the time came to move it felt right."

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