Latest update casts doubt over Everton pursuit of Lloyd Kelly
Everton may have been dealt the final blow in their pursuit of Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly as a January move looks to be out of the question.
The Toffees have previously expressed interest in the 23-year-old who has been a standout performer for the Cherries in the Championship this season.
But the latest from Football League World suggests that the South-Coast club won’t entertain offers from anyone in January with an asking price likely to see off suitors.
Ability from within
With the Cherries “refusing to discuss the prospect of Kelly leaving”, maybe now is the time to take a look at Everton’s own academy for a defender worthy of a first-team promotion.
David Unsworth’s Under-23 side play a similar system to what Rafael Benitez has deployed in recent weeks so they are already familiar with the job that would be asked of them.
In particular, Reece Welch displayed his leadership qualities and ability to step up when needed in the Under-23s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday (10 January).
The 18-year-old was the glue in the back five as he marshalled the exciting Palace attack to a quiet evening, with one of the two goals being an own goal by Toffees striker Ellis Simms.
Admittedly, Welch is not on the same level as Kelly right now but it seems counter-intuitive to have these youngsters in the academy if they don’t get a chance.
Equally, though, central defenders aren’t the immediate answer to the problems at Goodison Park with the club more likely to bring in a creative midfielder having lost James Rodriguez in September.
Promoting from within certainly beats spending way over the odds for a second division player when it comes to common sense.
In other Everton news, this pundit was baffled by Rafael Benitez’s comments earlier this week.