Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny has dropped a hint on his future and said ‘a lot is possible’ this summer.
Academy graduate Kenny, 25, is out of contract at the end of this season. After two loan spells away from the club during the past two years, at Schalke and Celtic, he made 21 appearances in all competitions across the 2021/22 campaign for the Toffees.
Only six of these appearances were under Rafa Benitez. He then worked his way into the team under Benitez's successor Frank Lampard, but was mainly on the bench during the run-in, before returning to the starting XI for the final day 5-1 defeat at Arsenal.
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With his Everton contract expiring this summer, it is unclear what the future holds for the full-back who joined the club as a nine-year-old and has made 69 appearances in royal blue.
Kenny refused to be drawn on what will happen but has some clear priorities for his next step. “Trust, playing time and development,” he told German TV channel Sport1. “That's important to me. I have to feel comfortable, but basically a lot is possible. Schalke is the only club from the Bundesliga that I have played for, so of course I have a special bond there. But there are many interesting clubs in Germany, the league offers a lot.”
Despite losing his place towards the end of the season and only featuring as a late substitute in the games against Leicester City, Brentford and Crystal Palace in the run-in to help secure survival, Kenny was still full of praise for Lampard.
He said: “He’s a football legend. And of course he has a certain aura.
“But he's just a good guy and knows how to deal with us. I can say that I really like playing under him. Of course, it's also up to him [the reason for Everton’s survival], but not only. I never stopped working on myself, kept going full throttle and presented myself to the coaching team in the best possible way. Football is always about never burying your head in the sand. The coach has given me confidence, which is good for every player and also affects the performance.”
And for Kenny, whether he stays at Everton or moves on, it will mean a lot for an Evertonian that he had a role to play in securing the club's Premier League future. This is especially after a tricky start to the season where he played just 10 minutes of football across the first 16 league games. He said: “There are such phases. I didn't have my best form, the coach preferred others. It is important that you do not let yourself get too down. I had no problem with Mr. Benitez, but of course I'm glad that a coach came along who relied on me.”
