According to The Guardian, Everton teenager Reece Welch is impressing the club’s coaching staff with his desire to improve defensively.
Welch, who turned 17 last month, has been picked out by The Guardian as Everton’s representative for the ‘Next Generation’, with 20 Premier League prospects profiled and praised.
The central defender has signed a three-year professional deal at Everton, and is seemingly being tipped for a bright future at Goodison Park.
What’s impressive is that this report suggests Welch is impressing coaches because he wants to learn and work on becoming the best defender possible, which stands him in good stead.
A towering figure already at 6ft 4in tall, Welch is an England youth international at Under-16 and Under-17 levels, whilst he is praised as ‘composed and skilful’.
Ellis Simms is earning huge praise in the Everton ranks, but it seems that Huddersfield-born centre back Welch is now being tabbed as another star of the future.
Given that Everton also have Mason Holgate, Jarrad Branthwaite and new signing Ben Godfrey, the Toffees may have a strong base of young, English defenders for the future.
Additionally, Welch – who has been at Everton since the age of eight – only has to look at Jonjoe Kenny and Tom Davies as examples of how he can become a first-team player if he can keep impressing coaches and developing as a player.
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