Michael Kenrick 21/05/2025 17comments  |  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 (17)

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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 and how much we can spend. A nice change from sweating on the last couple of games hoping we'll stay up.

Martin Reppion
7 Posted 22/05/2025 at 07:58:13
Disappointed about the young Portuguese lad going. He was an able deputy for Jordan and had said he wanted to stay. It may be time for Harry Tyrer to step up to No 2.

On the other hand, Nev reckons he is still worth a place. And it could be difficult to get a ball past him these days.

Mike Hayes
8 Posted 22/05/2025 at 08:34:52
Good luck to the lad.

I hope he has a great career.

Justin Doone
9 Posted 22/05/2025 at 14:04:56
Good luck to him.

Trying to judge how good a young goalkeeper is (or not) I find the most difficult position to judge.

Hopefully someone at the club finds a top class keeper that can push Pickford upwards or out.

John Chambers
10 Posted 22/05/2025 at 14:15:19
Can't comment on the quality of George Pickford, Crellin and Tyrer but it sounds like an area pretty well stocked.

Pick up an experienced keeper free to replace Begovic and use one of the others to replace Virginia and it costs the club nothing and gives a youngster chance to progress.

Ryan Holroyd
11 Posted 22/05/2025 at 15:19:46
Keep an eye on Douglass Lukjanciks.

I believe he's a highly rated goalkeeper.

Robert Tressell
12 Posted 22/05/2025 at 15:25:56
The real talent at GK level is Lukjanciks but he's only 17. Crellin is out of contract I think and unlikely to be first teamer. Tyrer it's unclear.

The likelihood is that he'll never replace Pickford because we'll just buy an international keeper to do that or maybe Lukjanciks can do it. Tyrer could be a number 2 though but would have to get used to not playing.

Ryan Holroyd
13 Posted 22/05/2025 at 15:38:51
Tryer would be a 3rd choice GK. You need a PL quality GK to be number 2
Jay Harris
14 Posted 22/05/2025 at 15:47:20
We need to be looking at the young "Pickfords" and grooming them to take over IMO.
Michael Kenrick
15 Posted 22/05/2025 at 16:44:54
I think we have a young Pickford, Jay, that we've been looking at for a year or two now.

George Pickford, 18.

Ian Bennett
16 Posted 22/05/2025 at 17:01:23

Read some where that Fabianski was coming in as number 3.

Robert Tressell
17 Posted 22/05/2025 at 19:16:36
Ian that wouldn’t be a bad move. Fabianski is old but still quite good as cheap back up

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