Done deal: Everton midfielder Callum Bates signs first-ever professional contract
Everton under-18s midfielder Callum Bates has signed his first professional contract at Goodison Park, penning a three-year deal until June 2025.
The 17-year-old has been at the club since he was eleven and has featured in all four fixtures for Leighton Baines’ under-18s side in the 2022/23 season.
Bates follows fellow academy prospect Luke Butterfield, who also signed a new three-year deal at the club yesterday (5 October).
Keep on coming
The good news keeps on coming on the academy front with Bates and Butterfield both committing their futures to the club for the next three years. This should come as no surprise to Evertonians with Kevin Thelwell at the helm behind the scenes.
Thelwell was always going to focus on bringing younger players through the ranks at Goodison Park, much like he did during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Wolves’ academy becoming one of the best in the country.
Frank Lampard has shown during his time as a manager that he is more than happy to give younger players an opportunity, with Mason Mount and Billy Gilmour two good examples from his time at Chelsea.
Using the academy as a source of income will be vital for the club moving forward, with the potential to make huge profits on players that have been developed over the years. Anthony Gordon is a prime example of how Everton nearly turned an academy product into a multi-million-pound asset this summer.
Evertonians should certainly keep an eye out for these academy players making the odd first-team appearance in the coming years.