According to reports, Championship side Leeds United are now eyeing a move for Everton’s young centre-half Matthew Pennington, as the Whites new boss Thomas Christiansen looks to get in more defensive options following the return of Kyle Bartley to Swansea City at the end of the season. However, making a permanent move for the exciting youngster looks a distant possibility.
Despite Everton being extremely active in the transfer summer window where they have spent over £90 million in bringing in some of the hottest prospects from across Europe, manager Ronald Koeman could never be likened to Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola and branded a ‘spender’. And it is simply for the reason that, he has never stuttered in bringing in academy products to the first squad whenever needed.
Last season, Everton saw the rise of some of their best young talents in Tom Davies, Mason Holgate and Dominic Calvert-Lewin and given their impressive debut, they hardly doubt becoming unimportant with the arrivals of Michael Keane, Sandro Ramirez, Wayne Rooney and more.
Hence, a talent like Pennington, who has been stated as ‘faultless’ by Everton’s Academy coach David Unsworth, is bound to give Koeman second thoughts before he lets him go; especially following last season’s sudden crisis that left Everton bereaved of Ramiro Funes Mori and Seamus Coleman in a space of a week.
Despite having Michael Keane now in the squad apart from Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka in that position, Koeman wouldn’t really see Pennington as a surplus. The 22-year-old was one of the most successful players in Premier League2 last season and debuted for Everton in a 2-1 win against Bournemouth.
Pennington’s career was somewhat halted by a hamstring injury that kept him out for almost half a year from July 2016 to January this year. He missed a whopping 23 games owing to it but has wasted no time in returning to the Toffees Under-23 side. Following his successful season with League One side Coventry City in 2015, last season was supposed to be the big break for the Warrington-born defender.
Leeds United have already made the deal of centre-half Pontus Jansson permanent, and although Giuseppe Bellusci was seen playing for the Whites after he returned from his loan spell with Empoli last season, he doesn’t look like a first-team player.
Leeds United are most likely to land Pennington on a loan deal if they do manage to successfully negotiate for the youngster. However, it isn’t expected to be a smooth ride as the likes of Middlesbrough and Hull City are also keeping tabs on him.
