Michael Kenrick 21/05/2025 6comments  |  Jump to last

After 6 years with the Everton Academy, working his way from the U18s to the U21s, 22-year-old Slovakian goalkeeper Žan-Luk Leban  has confirmed on social media that he will be leaving Everton this summer.

He said on Instagram: “Thank you Everton for the past 6 years. I enjoyed every moment of my time here. It has been a pleasure to be a part of such a massive club. I came as a kid and I am leaving as man. Thank you to everyone at the Club, coaches, teammates and all the staff behind the scenes. Once a blue always a blue.”

With strong competition for the goalkeeper's position in the Under-21s, Leban has only made 5 appearances this season,  

Everton picked up young Žan-Luk Leban from Polish club FCB Escola Varsovia in 2019 and, despite suffering a knee ligament injury sustained during pre-season training that limited his appearances for the Blues' U18s side, he was awarded his first professional contract, a 2½-year deal, that December, when he turned 17.

Leban would establish himself as the first-choice keeper  for the U18s in the following season, albeit with a brief venture up to the U23s bench for their first game of the season in Premier League 2.

But suddenly in March 2021 he was elevated to the dizzy heights of the senior subs bench for the FA Cup Quarterfinal against Manchester City when an injury crisis combined with Carlo Ancelotti's strange penchant to see not one but two goalkeepers on the bench after the number of subs allowed at senior level was increased from 7 to 9. 

He was also on the bench for the Under-23s on 5 occasions, and would start the 2021-22 campaign as the first-choice keeper for them when Harry Tryer got injured, only to return to the bench for most of the season.

But Tyrer went out on loan for Season 2022-23, giving Žan-Luk Leban the chance he needed to make the position his own in the newly rebranded U21s, where he became the most used player with the highest appearance stats.

In February 2023, he signed a new contract that tied him to the Blues until the summer of 2025. It was Žan-Luk Leban's turn to go out on loan for Season 2023-24, but it was only at non-league Farsley Celtic, where he made 41 appearances in National League North.

Back in the Academy for Season 2024-25 that has just finished, Leban was not first choice, having to compete with George Pickford and Fraser Barnsley, while two other young keepers, Billy Crellin and Harry Tyrer, were both out on loan. 

He leaves the club without ever playing for the men's senior team.

 

 

Reader Comments (6)

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Paul Kernot
1 Posted 21/05/2025 at 22:51:54
Three keepers gone in a week. I'm off to the garage to find those gloves.
Andrew James
2 Posted 21/05/2025 at 23:48:51
We're going to have to spend some money on a reserve keeper or two now seeing as we've let three go. I suppose this is the problem with having a keeper who won't likely be dropped.
Mike Gaynes
3 Posted 22/05/2025 at 00:23:20
No worries, Andrew, there are more than a few experienced keepers who will be available on frees this summer, including de Gea, Szczesny, Rui Patricio and our old pal Robin Olsen.
Andrew James
4 Posted 22/05/2025 at 00:48:00
De Gea? Blimey!

I would've assumed he was playing for a half decent outfit in Spain as No 1.

I suppose I am getting a little perturbed seeing all the departures and nobody coming in yet but that's the way it will have to be for contractual reasons.

Mike Gaynes
5 Posted 22/05/2025 at 01:14:40
Actually, my error there, Andrew. De Gea is Fiorentina's keeper these days and was headed for free agency but his contract was recently extended another year. Sorry about that.

You're right about the contractual issues, but they're at Everton's end. Three members of the team of people who will identify, recruit and sign our new players haven't even been hired yet. We need a director of football operations, a chief of recruitment and a signings director. Right now it's just Moyes and the new CEO.

Paul Kernot
6 Posted 22/05/2025 at 01:18:25
Andrew #4. There has been a fair bit of comment suggesting we won't start spending until we're into June so yes, we'll have to just hold on til then. Not long now. At least we're concerned about who we'll buy & how much we can spend. A nice change from sweating on the last couple of games hoping we'll stay up.

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