Everton starlet Emilio Lawrence to leave club with Manchester City favourites – Fabrizio Romano
Everton youngster Emilio Lawrence is set to leave the club this summer and join one of the Toffees’ Premier League rivals, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 16-year-old is not yet signed on as a scholar at Finch Farm and as a result, he can be signed by any other club for a mere compensation fee and that looks to be the direction he is heading.
The ‘big six’ of the Premier League have all been interested in the Scottish youth international but it seems that reigning champions Manchester City are leading the way for the player who has already made his Under-23s debut.
“Scottish top talent Emilio Lawrence (16) will leave Everton this summer,” Romano said via his personal Twitter account. “He has played for the Under-23 team last season.
“Manchester City are now favourites to sign him. Lawrence attracted interest from big six, expected to announce new club soon.”
Not good
No club ever wants to see their best young players leave to join a direct rival but even less so when they are the current champions of England.
Not only is their first team unbelievably good under Pep Guardiola but they also have one of the most expansive and well-funded academies in the world which is only being strengthened with Lawrence’s signing.
Everton need to find a way to stop our best young talents from leaving before they’ve had the chance to make a proper impact on Merseyside because we may need to rely on them sooner than we think.
Anthony Gordon needs to be held high as the example for not only the players already signed professionally at Goodison Park but also those yet to put pen to paper on a scholarship deal.
If we are unable to hang onto any good players before the ‘big six’ come and poach them, then the rest of the country might as well ditch their academies and leave it all to those to do the dirty work for the rest of us.