Everton sign up another academy prospect in Joel Catesby

Everton have secured the signature of another young academy player on his first professional contract, with the winger Joel Catesby penning a 3-year deal until the end of June 2027.

The 17-year-old – who is a lifelong Evertonian – has been with the Blues since the age of four, and played for both the Under-18s and Under-21s last season.

“It’s a pleasure to sign this new deal,” Catesby told evertontv. “I’ve developed a lot as a player over the years. Being here for 13 years, I’ve matured a lot.

“Last season ended up being a positive season for me. I had an injury in the middle of the campaign but got over that and came back stronger and finished with the Under-21s.”

The Wirral-born winger made 14 league appearances for Everton Under-18s during 2023-24, scoring 5 goals and making 3 assists.

Catesby – who says scoring against Liverpool was his highlight of last season – enjoys working with Under-18s Head Coach Leighton Baines:

“It’s a pleasure to work with [Baines] every day,” he added. “Being an Evertonian, I’ve seen how good of a player he was, and you can get good experience from him.

“My targets for the upcoming season are to start strong with the Under-18s and then hopefully push on to the ‘21s. My ambition is to eventually play with the Senior Team and break through.”

On Catesby’s first professional contract, Everton Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, said: “Joel’s been at the Club for a long time and he’s continued to make encouraging progress through the age groups.

“He’s an exciting player to watch and impressed last season as a first-year scholar. We’re looking forward to seeing him develop in the coming years with our Academy.”

 

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