Should Lookman leave Everton on loan in January?

Follow us on Google Discover

Ademola Lookman was an unused substitute for Everton against Liverpool.

Ademola Lookman will have been desperately frustrated on the Everton substitutes bench on Sunday afternoon as he was overlooked by manager Sam Allardyce against Liverpool.

With the Toffees needing a goal, Allardyce instead brought on pocket-sized ace Aaron Lennon to give the Merseyside outfit a boost with scoreline at 1-0 following Mo Salah’s exquisite strike for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Lennon’s presence on the pitch helped Everton gain an equaliser through Wayne Rooney from the penalty spot, after Dom Calvert-Lewin was brought down by Dejan Lovren in the penalty area.

Lookman’s joy will have been slightly subdued as Rooney blasted home from the spot, with the 20-year-old likely to have been hopeful for Premier League game time after a sensational brace against Apollon Limassol on Thursday.

A back-post header and a 25-yard rocket would have given him hope of appearing for the Toffees in the Merseyside derby, but instead Lennon was preferred and now the former Charlton Athletic ace must be considering his future at the club.

With the January transfer window approaching, Yannick Bolasie’s return to full fitness is also likely to push the England Under-20 World Cup champion further down the pecking order.

It will see Lookman – who reportedly cost £11million in January 2017 from Charlton – remain behind the likes of Lennon, Bolasie, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Kevin Mirallas and perhaps even Nikola Vlasic, meaning first-team game time is unlikely.

A loan move away from Merseyside in January to another Premier League club or indeed a high-flying Championship side that can provide regular game time will give Lookman the confidence required to push on in the 2018-19 campaign.