ThewolfEverton have capitalised on what appears to be an Arsenal mistake, as one player in particular has gone from strength to strength since joining.
The January transfer window will already be on the minds of Everton fans with the Friedkin Group looking like they’ll be in charge by December at the latest.
However, PSR issues that currently hang over Everton may make things difficult, though there are promising signs according to Kieran Maguire.
One issue that needs to be sorted out is Dominic Calvert-Lewin‘s future at Goodison Park, as his contract runs out in the summer.
Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite has already attracted interest from Liverpool and Manchester United, so there could be movement there if Everton see fit.
However, there’s one player already at Everton in the Under-21 side who could save the Friedkin Group some money in the January transfer window.
Everton teen earning rave reviews at Finch Farm after leaving Arsenal
Omari Benjamin is a name that Everton fans are starting to hear more about on Merseyside.
The 18-year-old wasn’t offered a professional contract by Arsenal, which sparked Everton into action as they drafted him in to their setup.
He scored 18 goals in 33 appearances for the Under-18 side prior to his exit, making it even more baffling as to why they decided to let him go.
Since joining Everton, things have gone as well as they could. He’s scored three goals and assisted twice in the Under-21 side at the age of 18, with all but one assist coming in the Premier League 2.
This has led to coaches at Finch Farm giving rave reviews about Benjamin. They note his intelligence and work rate, as well as his end product.
He even made it into the Guardian‘s next generation list in 2022, alongside names like Archie Gray, Ben Doak and Lewis Miley.
A replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be sought after this January with his contract situation up in the air, though the Friedkin Group do want to keep him.
And with PSR issues floating about, there may not be much money to play with, depending on how much he potentially fetches.
That’s where Benjamin comes in.
Sean Dyche has already leaned on Tim Iroegbunam since joining, while Roman Dixon, George Pickford, Harrison Armstrong and other youngsters have all been in first team training recently, so there’s no reason as to why he couldn’t turn to Benjamin.
He possesses pace, strength and more importantly a finishing ability that has been missing in recent times for Calvert-Lewin.
The likes of Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti are on the road to recovery, so there will be players ready to step in, as well as Beto.
Therefore, the Friedkin Group could look to save millions in January by calling Benjamin up to the first team squad to help support the more senior strikers
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