Gibson joins Bristol Rovers on loan

If he's not any good, then he's out of a job with us. If he suddenly turns into Superman, then he is free to decide whether he wants to sign a new deal at Everton or at any other club in the world.

So we have no guarantees of keeping him if he fulfills his promise but the liability of paying some or all of his wages while he puts himself in the shop window.

Obviously he's not such a basket case that the club were done with him – even after five largely wasted years... so they must see more potential there. But not too many other clubs could have been that interested or he would have been released.

We never know the details of the contracts and the loan deals, which is where the answers may lie. Maybe Bristol Rovers are paying a decent proportion of his wages, but not as much as they would have had to if they had signed him outright?

And then there's the remaining commitments in the contract between Everton and the player. Maybe options to extend the 1-year contract if certain conditions are met or performance metrics are achieved.

Once again, it underlines just how hard it is to become a top-flight professional footballer. And just how hard the job is for all involved at the Academy in developing their talents. And just how easy it is for us outsiders to hurl brickbats at them for failing to deliver.