Finch Farm sensation now set to sign new Everton contract

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Everton are a club that prides themselves on their tendency to trust the youth, often standing by the notion that if they are good enough, they are old enough.

There are few examples more outstanding than Wayne Rooney, who burst onto the scene at just 16, with other stars of old like Francis Jeffers and James Vaughan emerging at a similar age too.

Whilst their modern-day Finch Farm proficiency is not quite as prolific as back then, allowing their academy stars to marinate for a little while longer before handing them a stream of senior starts, Anthony Gordon was proof that the path to first-team football still remains.

That will therefore have been a key factor in tying down striker Francis Okoronkwo, who TEAMtalk suggest the Toffees have fought off numerous suitors to secure him to a long-term contract.

The 19-year-old, whose deal was due to expire at the end of this season, is ‘highly-regarded’ around Goodison Park, with the new deal a show of faith that he is set to be one of their next big assets.

How good is Francis Okoronkwo?

Having joined from Sunderland back in 2021, the £1m expended marked a solid investment for an unknown teenager from Wearside.

However, his rise through the ranks at youth level has been meteoric, with his performances certainly catching the eye.

Already Okoronkwo boasts two goals and one assist in the Premier League 2 this campaign, having scored eight and assisted six last term across all competitions. Given he was tipped for a string of games back in July, this should only solidify such a notion.

Should he maintain his fine form, surely Sean Dyche will have to start considering the man who he has included in a few of his match-day squads without handing him an appearance.

This new contract should be all the incentive needed for the young marksman to take his game to the next level, and with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Beto and Youssef Chermiti all to surpass, there is a long way to go before he shoots past those stars in Everton‘s pecking order.