Michael Kenrick 09/06/2025 4comments  |  Jump to last

Everton have submitted their retained player list for 2025-26 which provides an update on the contract status of a number of their Under-21 players, with some out of contract this month.

Owen Barker, Jack Butler, Luke Butterfield, Billy Crellin, Matthew Apter, Zan-Luk Leban and Jack Tierney are being released and will leave Everton this month.

  • Owen Barker had a difficult season with most appearances (9) coming from the bench out of 16 in PL2 and other competitions.  
  • Jack Butler fared slightly better, with 9 starts and 4 more substitute appearances off the bench, scoring 1 goal, but he saw no action at all in the second half of the season. 
  • Luke Butterfield's long association with the Academy comes to an end on the back of a difficult season that saw him out injured for 2 months in January and February. He made 13 starts, 4 more as a sub, and scored 2 goals. 
  • Billy Crellin appeared to be on the fast track to becoming a key goalkeeping asset after he signed a 2-year contract as backup to Joao Virgina, but the lifelong Evertonian, who joined from Fleetwood Town in January 2022, spent the season out on loan at Accrington Stanley. 
  • Matty Apter had terrible luck with injuries, managing just 1 start with 6 more as a sub. 
  • Zan-Luk Leban is another goalkeeper who was highly rated but has simply run out of time in a tough competition with Fraser Barnsley for the U21 goalkeeper's shirt.
  • Jack Tierney made 7 starts with 2 more as a sub — all before his last appearance in late November of last year. 

Fraser Barnsley, Callum Bates, Eli Campbell, Coby Ebere, Isaac Heath and Jack Patterson have been offered new deals, while scholars George Finney, Harvey Foster, Luca Davis, Aled Thomas and Joshua van Schoor have been offered first professional contracts.

Meanwhile, there continues to be no definitive word on the contracts offered to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Idrissa Gana Gueye, with the situation for Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane also unclear going into next season. Charly Alcaraz remains the only definite signing made so far this summer after his half-season loan was converted into a permanent deal. 

The list of Everton players under contract or offer, with their full names is:

Armstrong, Harrison David 
Barnsley, Fraser Paul (Extended)
Bates, Callum Terry (Offer)
Beaumont-Clark, Jacob Adam 
Benjamin, Omari Kai 
Boakye, Kingsford Yiadom 
Branthwaite, Jarrad Paul 
Campbell, Elijah Xavier (Offer)
Catesby, Joel William 
Coleman, Seamus (Offer)
Dixon, Roman Ivan Quintyne 
Doucoure, Abdoulaye (Offer)
Ebere, Okezie Chibuike Coby (Offer)
Garner, James David 
Gomes Betuncal, Norberto Bercique 
Graham, Braiden David Jay 
Gueye, Idrissa Gana (Offer)
Heath, Isaac Theodor Lambie (Extended)
Iroegbunam, Timothy Emeka 
Lukjanciks, Douglass 
McNeil, Dwight James Matthew 
Metcalfe, Jenson 
Moonan, Bradley 
Morgan, George Charlie 
Mykolenko, Vitalii 
Ndiaye, Iliman-Cheikh Baroy 
O’Brien, Jake Patrick 
Okoronkwo, Francis Okereke 
Onyango, Tyler Jaden Napier Edward 
Patterson, Jack David (Offer)
Patterson, Nathan Kenneth 
Pickford, George John 
Pickford, Jordan Lee 
Ramalho Chermiti, Youssef 
Samuels-Smith, Odin Darren 
Sherif, Martin 
Tambadou, Francis Gomez 
Tamen, William Nkwawu 
Tarkowski, James Alan 
Tyrer, Harry Alfred 
Welch, Reece Belfield

Scholars
Akarakiri, Ademide Oreoluwa 
Clarke, Jaykar Justin Donte 
Finney, George (Offer Contract)
Foster, Harvey John (Offer Contract)
Freedman, Freddie Ray 
Gardner, Luis John 
Gospel-Eze, Goodness Chiemerie 
Hacker Davis, Luca Isaac (Offer Contract)
Lambert, Rocco Marlo 
Loney, Ceiran 
Matos, Melvin Wiafe Akenten 
Poland, Louis Thomas 
Stewart, Charlie David 
Thomas, Aled Osian (Offer Contract)
Van Schoor, Joshua Mark (Offer Contract)
Wren, Kean Adam

 

Reader Comments (4)

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Ian Wilkins
1 Posted 09/06/2025 at 14:27:26
Ryan @2,

That list really brings home the scale of the rebuilding task doesn't it.

No first choice right-back really, no cover or pressure at left. Centre mid needs strengthening with options. Pace required wide and definitely another forward, plus more goalkeeping cover. Additions all over the park.

I hope there's a bloody good plan about to kick in soon…

Mike Allison
3 Posted 09/06/2025 at 17:02:29
We’re 11 players short of a full squad. Gueye and Coleman will probably sign, making that 9. DCL won’t (I don’t think) and Keane shouldn’t.

We need 3/4 sensible free transfers, 2/3 high quality signings (in attack) and loans or bargains to complete the rest.

I’m sure they’re doing something behind the scenes but it would be nice to hear a little bit of reassurance.

Phil Roberts
4 Posted 09/06/2025 at 21:22:05
Tyler Onyango also out of contract at the end of the month.

Presume another to add on the list of released.

Craig Scott
6 Posted 09/06/2025 at 23:13:04
Our recruitment and development of academy players has been poor relative to other clubs and the fact that we have introduced so few development players into our first team squad has exposed our soft underbelly.

It's in this area where we need to get it right and expend our resources on getting a better scouting network and development coaches. It's a far better strategy than trying to compete with the wealthier clubs for players that more astute clubs have already developed.

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