Karl Robinson: Old Everton star key to completing Luke Garbutt move

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Garbutt has left Everton to join Oxford United on a season-long loan.

Everton defender Luke Garbutt has completed a move to Oxford United on a season-long loan and The U’s manager Karl Robinson was quoted as saying on the club’s website that Ryan Ledson was key in the move.

Garbutt, 25, is looking to get his career back on track after failing to make a single appearance for Everton throughout the 2017-18 campaign, after being left out of the 25-man Premier League squad by Ronald Koeman.

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That is despite Everton’s left-back woes, which saw Cuco Martina adopt the slot on the left side of defence instead of former Leeds United academy product Garbutt.

Now, Garbutt has joined Oxford until the end of the season and U’s manager Robinson claimed Garbutt had spoken to former Toffee Ledson – who left the Toffees in 2016 to join Oxford, before joining Preston this summer.

“He is a very good player and I am flattered if I’m honest that he sees Oxford as the club to help him take his career forward,” Robinson said. “I know Luke spoke to Ryan Ledson who loved his time here.

“Oxford have also helped John Lundstram and JonJoe Kenny in recent years so Everton know he is coming to a club where we do things the right way.”

Ledson departed Everton as an 18-year-old after making one solitary Toffees appearance, joining Oxford on a permanent basis until he was bought by Championship side Preston after starring in 80 outings for the U’s.

It remains to be seen where Garbutt’s long-term future at Everton remains, as he has two years remaining on his current contract but appears to have next to no future on Merseyside.