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In transfer news not related to Cenk Tosun, Everton bid farewell to two Academy graduates yesterday.
Defender Gethin Jones has joined Fleetwood Town on a long-term contract, with the transfer fee undisclosed. The 22-year-old right back has been with the Blues for ten years, and was out on a half-season loan for the last season at Barnsley playing 17 games.
The Australian-born fullback is eligible to represent Wales as well, and has been capped seven times for the Welsh youth teams, and was called up to be part of the squad for one fixture of Wales’ ultimately unsuccessful World Cup campaign.
At Everton, the rising to prominence of Jonjoe Kenny had likely put paid to any chances he would have of breaking into the senior side, and this might be the best for the lad. He had just the one appearance for Everton, coming on as a last minute substitute in a dead rubber game during the 2014-15 Europa League season. He picked up 12 assists in a total of 75 Under-23s games.
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Midfielder Liam Walsh has also left the club, joining Bristol City on a permanent basis. He signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Championship side. The 20-year-old Walsh joined the Blues as a five-year-old, and was a key member of the Under-23s Premier League 2 title winning side last season.
He went out to Birmingham City on a half-season loan to begin this season, but made just three appearances in that time. Primarily a central midfielder, he never made the jump to the senior side, playing 43 times for the Under-23s scoring 6 goals with 7 assists.
The Robins sit currently in fourth place in the Championship and have been widely tipped to gain promotion to the Premier League following their giant-killing acts in the Carabao Cup this season.
Bristol City also possess a left back by the name of Joe Bryan that the Blues have been rumoured to covet, so it can’t hurt to build a relationship with that particular club.
We wish both players well in their future careers.