Everton may have produced a top youngster in Davies

Everton youngster Tom Davies has impressed in his last few games for the Toffees

Down the year’s many players have come through Everton’s academy into the first team.

The likes of Danny Cadamarteri, Michael Ball, Francis Jeffers and James Vaughan are just a few youngsters who shone brightly before failing to fulfil their potential.

The only player in recent remember to have come through the club’s academy and made it big is England and Manchester United record-breaker Wayne Rooney, if of course you not count the work in progress that Ross Barkley. Rooney left the club when he was just 18 to help clear some of the clubs debts.

However, Everton are hopeful that they have finally found a player in young midfielder Tom Davies who can sustain a career at the top-level. At just 18-years of age, he has made a big impact in the Toffees first team of late.

Looks to be a top young player

In England, there is a tendency to over-hype young English players. However, Everton fans could be forgiven for their excitement over Davies considering the relative lack of youngsters to have come through the club’s academy of late.

It’s hard not to get excited by the youngster. Within the club, the youngster has been talked about as a special prospect for the last few years. He shone in the youth ranks and last season made his debut for the Toffees.

However, it is this season that Davies has been let loose on the Premier League. The youngster has made seven appearances in the top-flight. In fact, he has started the last three league games, producing two assists and scoring once.

In those games, he has shown, tenacity, vision, fearlessness and above all maturity. Even in his interviews, he has come across as a mature youngster. This shows on the pitch and in his performance.

Everton do not have to sell

Everton are no longer a selling football club. There were recently rumours about playmaker Ross Barkley joining Tottenham. However, they were motivated by the fact that it looked like at one stage the England international did not have a future at Everton.

However, ironically since the introduction of Davies into the first team has helped Barkley’s performances. No doubt in the past there would have already been rumours about Everton selling Davies to Manchester United, Chelsea or Manchester City, despite the youngster starting only a handful of games.

That is no longer the case with Everton. While every player has his price, the club from Merseyside does not have to sell to survive anymore. In fact, majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri’s arrival seems to have secured the club’s long-term financial future.

Everton will now only sell players if they believe they are no longer of any use to the team. Those sorts of decisions will be down to boss Ronald Koeman and the Dutchman should not lose any players he wants to keep.

A bright midfield future

The emergence of Davies and the January signing of Morgan Schneiderlin mean that Everton are now spoilt for choice in central midfield. Evertonian’s initially believed that Schneiderlin would form a partnership with Senegalese star Idrissa Gueye in the long run.

However, the emergence of Davies may have changed fans and Koeman’s thinking. Gueye is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations but is expected back in the near future.

On his return, Everton will have Davies, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Gareth Barry and James McCarthy all competing for two spots in the centre of midfield. The situation is in stark contrast to the one that the Toffees found themselves in during the summer.

Koeman is rebuilding the Everton squad. It looks like one area of the field the Dutchman will not need to worry about is the centre of midfield. He can now concentrate on strengthening other positions in this month and in the summer.

Everton are currently seventh in the table. However, their odds have shortened to 8/1 to finish in the Premier League’s top six. The Toffees have been on a very good run of form of late and it is the introduction of not just Davies, but also centre-back Mason Holgate that has proven the catalyst for that improvement. They have provided energy to the team.

Young Tom Davies looks to have all the attributes of a very good player. Hopefully, he will have a successful career at Everton and will not have to move elsewhere to fulfil his ambitions.

Will Tom Davies be a sustained success in the Premier League?