Plymouth Argyle confirm Lewis Warrington January return to Everton as loan is cancelled
Lewis Warrington has returned to Everton early from his loan move to Plymouth Argyle, the Championship club have confirmed.
The 21-year-old midfielder moved to the south coast club in the summer despite Tom Davies’ exit having opened a spot in the first-team squad, but he featured only twice in the league with one start.
Warrington has since picked up an injury that has seen the two clubs come to an “amicable agreement” to cut short the unsuccessful switch.
Director of Football Neil Dewsnip at Home Park said: “Lewis unfortunately suffered an injury in training that will rule him out beyond the end of the transfer window and both clubs felt it was right for him to return to Everton and focus on his recovery and then look for further playing time.”
Not worked out
Warrington had featured in multiple preseason friendlies in the summer for Sean Dyche but had been allowed to move on in the hope that he would play more elsewhere.
Given the Toffees boss was faced with an injury crisis in midfield at one point this season the youngster would probably have had more of a chance at his parent club in light of how things have gone for him over the first half of the campaign.
Having played 38 times in League One for Fleetwood Town last term, with a further six FA Cup appearances, a step up to the second tier would have been expected to be more fruitful than it has been, even before his injury.
But a total of four appearances in the league and cup since leaving Goodison Park likely won’t have boosted Warrington’s chances of convincing his manager that he deserves a shot in the first team.
And with his contract up in the summer it may be that he therefore doesn’t add to his single senior appearance for Everton, against eventual loan side Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup in August of last season.
The Plymouth Argyle move was probably a make or break period for Warrington in terms of his Toffees future and it is clear that the outcome wasn’t what he would have hoped for.
In other Everton news, Gary Lineker was infuriated by what he saw at Goodison Park during the club’s draw with Aston Villa.