Everton Loan Recap: Youngsters settling in at Championship sides

Everton added to the loan legion in the closing days of the January transfer window, making it a total of 20 players (!!) out on loan this season. We take a look at how the group did over the last weekend, with the players broken out into the youngsters who still have a future at the club, and the rest who pretty much don’t.

The Youngsters

Henry Onyekuru

The Nigerian forward hasn’t been among the goals lately but has been playing regular minutes on the left side of Galatasaray’s forward three. He played the whole 90 minutes midweek in the Europa League Round of 32 first leg at home, losing 2-1 to Benfica with Onyekuru getting off two shots and succeeding on four of six dribbles.
Over the weekend Onyekuru picked up a booking and then an assist in a bad-tempered game at Kasimpasa, with Galatasaray winning 4-1 to remain six points off leaders Istanbul Basaksehir in the Turkish Super Lig.

Kieran Dowell

The attacking midfielder is seeing his minutes being managed by Chris Wilder at Sheffield United, and is also playing at an unfamiliar spot - the left midfielder in a 3-4-1-2 formation which gives him plenty of leeway to attack down the left on his favoured foot.
Dowell played the full game as the Blades beat Middlesbrough 1-0 midweek, and then was a late substitute for a 4-0 cruise over Reading over the weekend which sees them sitting in second in the Championship.

Nikola Vlasic

The Russian winter break is on for another two weeks, and with no European football for CSKA Vlasic is likely on vacation in warmer climes.

Mason Holgate

West Bromwich Albion sit comfortably in one of the playoff positions in the Championship, and Holgate can take some credit for it too. The youngster has been enjoying somewhat of a resurgence at the Baggies, and his swashbuckling style at right back seems well-suited to the hurly-burly Championship game. He picked up his second assist in just six games for West Brom in the 2-0 away win at Aston Villa.

Beni Baningime

The defensive midfielder made his debut last week for Wigan Athletic in a solid performance at Rotherham United, leading his side in tackles and interceptions and getting in a number of clearances and blocks as well. He was however not in the squad for last weekend’s 0-0 draw against Stoke City.
Manager Paul Cook was happy with his performance in that first game.

“It must have been such a culture shock for Beni to come into the team for a game like that, coming from Everton. But we had no choice really, and I thought he acquitted himself really well, and grew into the game.”

Antonee Robinson

The fullback is yet to return to the pitch following his surgery late in 2018, but he’s getting closer every day.

Callum Connolly

Connolly saw his loan with Wigan canceled but was then promptly shipped out to Bolton Wanderers where he’s made an immediate impact for the struggling side. He picked up his first assist in his second game, then scored the winner against Birmingham City in his third but was powerless against high-flying Norwich City as they fell to a 4-0 loss at home.

Joe Williams

The midfielder made his long-awaited return from injury in the same game for the Trotters, coming on at halftime to shore up the centre of the park. Williams has been out since just after the holidays.

Shayne Lavery

The 20-year-old forward is at Falkirk FC in the Scottish Championship, but hasn’t played any significant minutes as yet for the 10th placed side.

Antony Evans

The attacking midfielder has been playing out on the right wing in a 4-3-3 for Blackpool in League One, starting in the last two games.

The Deadwood

Ashley Williams

Stoke are muddling about in the lower half of the Championship and after relying heavily on Williams in the first half of the season, but it appears not manager Nathan Jones has had enough of the ageing defender and has benched him for the last three games.

Kevin Mirallas

Fiorentina had hit a rich vein of form in the end of January, and Mirallas was doing well too, picking up two assists in a 7-1 thrashing of Roma. But just as happened multiple times in his career already, when things start looking good for Super Kev injury intervenes. He left the 0-0 draw against Napoli with a leg injury after playing just a dozen minutes, and is now out with no expected return date.

Yannick Bolasie

The slower Belgian game is doing the winger wonders, and he’s been playing full games in the last two matches. Bolasie even got the lone goal for Anderlecht against Royal Antwerp, playing out on the left wing. He’s also managed to pick up two bookings in three games, which is odd for a player like him.

Cuco Martina

After a deadline day move to Feyenoord in the Netherlands, Martina has settled right in at the Rotterdam side starting the last two games at left-sided centre half! Feyenoord are in 3rd place, 15 points behind PSV Eindhoven and 11 behind Ajax Amsterdam.

Oumar Niasse

The Senegalese striker has started four straight games since going to Cardiff City, but is yet to find the net in any of those games - he’s been his usual energetic, frenetic self on the pitch though. Everton’s next game will be at Cardiff in a week, but Niasse is not expected to play due to loan clauses.

Muhamed Besic

Besic continues to play important minutes for Middlesbrough in their push for promotion, mostly from the defensive midfielder position. Nothing to highlight in the past few weeks for the Bosnian international.

Luke Garbutt

The left back appears to have gone missing (again). Oxford United in League One is where he’s plying his trade currently, but manager Karl Robinson has left him out of the matchday squad completely for the last two games.
He went on to explain that United have six players on loan but only five can be named to the 18-man squad for games, which is why Garbutt has been out in the cold. Robinson has even mentioned using him as a winger to cover for his defensive weaknesses, but to be honest it’s not looking good for the fullback.

“It was a hard one because he’s someone I certainly want in the squad. I can say Luke Garbutt has really come on in the last month. His training habits are one of the best in the club. His willingness to be successful has never wilted and that’s to be commended. I really hope he gets that opportunity to show the fans that he’s trying to get back to where he once was.”

Shani Tarashaj

Tarashaj has been sighted recently as he has returned from his foot injury, and came on as a late substitute in the last two games for bottom of the table Grasshopper. Not looking good for his future prospects either.

Matthew Pennington

The 24-year-old continues to get regular minutes for Ipswich Town, but they remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship and that’s about that for Pennington.

Sandro Ramirez

And finally, Sandro has been used as a late substitute in spot duty for Real Sociedad who are in 9th in La Liga, but as a forward he has one assist (against Rotherham in the League Cup) and no goals in 17 games played this season, and that should tell you all you need to know about him.