Speaking on the Gwlad Tidings Podcast, Everton journalist Patrick Boyland has claimed that there is widespread interest in Thierry Small.
The 16-year-old left-back made history last week, becoming Everton’s youngest ever player, but it seems as though he’s caught the eye of a number of other clubs.
Small is not a player that Everton want to part company with though, with Boyland claiming that the Merseyside outfit are keen to keep him on.
“With Small, I think it’s even more interesting because he is younger, he became Everton’s youngest ever player, if you believe the record books, with him Niels Nkounkou was out so they were short of left-back depth, but they are also trying to convince him that there is a pathway here,” Patrick Boyland said.
“Because the is touted around as one of the best left-backs in England in that age group, there is quite widespread interest in him, if he does leave over the summer, because he’s not on pro terms yet, Everton wouldn’t be entitled to very much money at all in terms of compensation.
“It’s important that Everton get that one over the line, as I understand it, Everton are keen to tie him down, they are speaking to his representatives, it is considered to be all about the pathway.”
We can only hope that Everton can convince Small to stay.
The club clearly don’t want to lose him, but as Boyland says, it’s about his pathway to the first-team, and with Lucas Digne looking unlikely to give up his spot anytime soon, it will be interesting to see what the Toffees’ plan for Small is.
This is certainly a situation to keep an eye on in the coming months.
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