Young attacker’s new contract finalized

Everton revealed on its website today that forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin has signed a new five-year contract that will keep him a Toffee through June 2022.

Calvert-Lewin, who turned 20 in March, has appeared in 10 senior matches for Everton this season, scoring a goal in the club’s 4-0 victory over Hull City in March. He also has four goals and two assists in nine matches with the Everton’s U23s, who recently won the Premier League 2.

Most recently, he started in Everton’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, playing a defensive-minded role that allowed Idrissa Gueye to focus on man-marking Eden Hazard.

The English attacker’s quick progress through the ranks at Everton Football Club has come as somewhat of a surprise, even to the player himself! He told Everton’s website:

I hadn't expected things to move as fast as they have and to have played against the teams I have done, so I’m very grateful for that and I’m working hard every day to improve. I’m learning every day in training and in the games, so I can’t ask for much more.

The extension follows the precedent set by the new contract given to Tom Davies earlier in the season — Ronald Koeman and Everton’s management clearly is looking to reward young players who do well in the senior team.

Still, Calvert-Lewin’s record with the senior team (one goal, six shots, no key passes, and no assists in 300 minutes of action) isn’t as impressive as Davies’, so his position isn’t as secure going forward. The absence of Yannick Bolasie and Aaron Lennon, coupled with the loan of Gerard Deulofeu have created a shortage of attacking players in the side, but that likely won’t carry over into next season.

Bolasie and Lennon will hopefully be back relatively quickly next season, while a return to Koeman’s good graces isn’t out of the question for Deulofeu either. Add in links to attacking players like Wayne Rooney, Demarai Gray, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Bobby Wood, and Cyle Larin (you can find all the latest Everton transfer rumors here), and the possibility of returning to the U23s next season seems a real one.

In the meantime though, Calvert-Lewin has three more matches to impress his manager. Best of luck, DCL!