Nottingham Forest legend Kenny Burns thinks Kieran Dowell still has more to learn before being ready for Everton first-team.
Nottingham Forest legend Kenny Burns doesn’t think that Kieran Dowell would get into the Everton first team currently and needs more time to develop.
Dowell is currently on a season-long loan at the City Ground and has scored ten goals in 42 appearances for the Reds in all competitions.
The 20-year-old is regarded as one of the most promising prospects in the Toffees’ Under-23s, but Burns doesn’t think the midfielder is ready to make the step up yet.
Instead the European Cup winner believes that Dowell should drop down into the Championship once again next term – possibly even at Forest.
“The best move for Kieran Dowell would be to go back on loan next season. And if he wants to come back to Nottingham Forest, then great. As long as he is prepared to do some of the hard graft,” Burns wrote in his Nottingham Post column.
“We need him to put the hard work in every week. Is he prepared to do that? That’s up to him.
“Another year in the Championship might help with that, it might toughen him up more. And perhaps Aitor Karanka can give him a bit of guidance.
“I can’t see him being a regular for Everton next season. He might play the odd game for them, but for me, he’d be better off going out on loan again. I think that would be best for his development. You learn so much more playing week in, week out.”
Dowell has come through the academy at Goodison Park and to date has played three first team matches for the Merseyside outfit.
This current loan spell with Forest is the first the youngster has had in his career and he has earned his first three England Under-21 caps in 2017/18 off the back of it.
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