Season › 2024-25 › News Six of Everton's best-ever loan signings Harry Diamond 09/06/2025 35comments | Jump to last With a rebuild required, Everton will need to move smart in the market this summer. While last season’s loanees were unfortunate or underwhelming, temporary transfers will again be sought as a shrewd way to bulk up the squad. Try before you buy? It’s worked for the Blues before. Everton have a fine history when it comes to loans. That the majority of these listed became permanent transfers highlights their status as success stories. Here are six of Everton’s best-ever loan signings. Duncan Ferguson Everton’s winless start to the 1993-94 season saw Mike Walker search for reinforcements, agreeing a double deal to bring in Ian Durrant and Duncan Ferguson from Rangers. While Durrant’s stay was forgettable, Ferguson rediscovered himself after struggling under the weight of expectation at Ibrox. He scored his first goal in a season-starting 2-0 win over Liverpool, in what was Joe Royle’s first game after replacing Walker as manager. Ferguson’s loan was soon made permanent and he continued to thrive. ‘Big Dunc’ netted the Premier League’s first headed hat-trick against Bolton and scored 42 goals in 132 games before being sold to Newcastle United in 1998. It was a move Ferguson later admitted he never wanted and, two seasons later, he returned. The Scot’s two spells at Everton saw him score 72 goals in 273 games. A fan favourite in every sense, Ferguson frightened the life out of opposition centre-backs. Kevin Campbell With the aforementioned Ferguson out injured and Ibrahima Bakayoko misfiring, Everton brought the late Kevin Campbell back to English football in March 1999. The ex-Arsenal and Nottingham Forest forward had found himself in Turkey, but a fallout at Trabzonspor opened up the avenue for a return. It proved to be brilliant business. Everton were mired in the relegation places at the time of Campbell’s arrival, but after scoring his first goals with a brace against Coventry in April, he did not look back. Campbell scored twice more in a 3-1 win at Newcastle, and added another brace to down Charlton as the Blues’ winning run continued. A hat-trick as West Ham were thrashed 6-0 made it nine goals in five games for the loanee, sealing Everton’s safety with a game to spare. Unsurprisingly, his loan was made permanent that summer. One of the best loan signings, from any side, in the Premier League era. A Goodison great who is so sadly missed. Steven Pienaar Everton earmarked Steven Pienaar as a player in need of new surroundings and snapped up the South African from Borussia Dortmund in 2007. Pienarr had been an awkward fit in Germany but found a home at Goodison Park. Pienaar helped Everton to a top-five finish in his debut campaign and collected the club’s Player of the Season award after the transfer was made permanent in 2009-10. That campaign saw the winger score seven goals, mixing industry with end product. His combination with Leighton Baines down the left was a delightful dovetailing double-act. He departed for Tottenham in 2011, but returned just 18 months later, again on an initial loan. Back in blue, he was integral to Everton’s highest Premier League points tally of 72, won under Roberto Martinez in 2013-14. Landon Donovan Landon Donovan arrived at Everton with question marks in 2010. The face of the United States national team, previous attempts to conquer Europe with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich had not worked out as planned. Everton snapped up the striker from LA Galaxy on a short-term deal and it proved to be smart business. Donovan’s attitude and application were excellent, as he worked tirelessly for the Everton cause and netted twice in 10 appearances. The appreciation between club and player was clearly mutual and Donovan returned for a second stint with the Toffees in 2011. Though he failed to score upon his return, he provided six assists in just nine games during a productive run of form. Gareth Barry As Marouane Fellaini departed for Manchester United late in the 2013 summer window, Everton moved to bolster their squad with a triple deadline day signing. Among them was Gareth Barry, brought in after being deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester City. The England midfielder was the wrong side of 30, but pace had never been a strength. Instead, he brought a class and composure to the Everton engine room and settled swiftly as a leader of the side. Few were surprised when the move was made permanent and Barry continued to defy time to rack up 155 appearances over four seasons, winning the club’s Player of the Season Award in 2015-16. Romelu Lukaku Romelu Lukaku’s impressive goal return on loan at West Bromwich Albion was not enough to persuade Chelsea to hand the forward a chance, with Everton capitalising to sign Lukaku on loan in 2013. The burly Belgian’s second successive loan was no less productive, as he bludgeoned 15 league goals for the Blues. Everton broke their transfer record to sign Lukaku that summer and were handsomely rewarded as the forward breached 20+ goals in three straight seasons. He became the first player since the legendary Dixie Dean to score in nine consecutive Goodison games and his form led to inevitable interest. Manchester United swooped to sign Lukaku in a £75m deal and his shoes have not been filled properly since. Reader Comments (35) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Ray Robinson 1 Posted 09/06/2025 at 18:20:42 Harry - thats six of the best!Lukaku for me, financially and ability wisebut Kevin Campbell was the most influential Kunal Desai 2 Posted 09/06/2025 at 18:46:34 Manny Fernandes Jay Harris 3 Posted 09/06/2025 at 19:00:21 Harry, I know you're a diamond but you do need to learn not to contradict yourself. Is it five or six or even more if you count the likes of Paul Powers, Yobo, Brian McBride etc. Jim Bennings 4 Posted 09/06/2025 at 19:41:35 Lukaku was a demon, I remember even when we signed him on loan being as excited as when we signed Kanchelskis, I knew what we were getting and he delivered.Pienaar was amazing, I think the closest thing we've had to him since is our man Iliman Ndiaye.Can't argue with Kevin Campbell, undeniably the biggest impact I've ever seen from a loan signing.Barry, yes again, Rolls-Royce of a player.I might be tempted to push Brian McBride ahead of Donovan however.I'd actually put Aaron Lennon before Landon Donovan. I like Landon but Lennon really cut the mustard when he arrived here, worked his nuts off.Special mention for Anthony Gardner? Only kidding haha.. Jim Bennings 5 Posted 09/06/2025 at 19:42:49 I don't know how I've forgotten Mikel Arteta, he'd be in the top two without a doubt.I tend to forget he was actually on loan with us initially. John Hall 6 Posted 09/06/2025 at 19:47:35 Tim Howard wasn't a bad loan signing, I think. Liam Mogan 7 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:05:12 Ex- Everton loanee, Romelu Lukaku, scores his 89th goal for Belgium from the penalty spot.Harsh on Wales as it hit Johnson's arm from a De Bruyne shot and he had his arm almost behind his back. Danny O'Neill 8 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:07:06 I always liked Landon Donovan and was pleased when he came back for a second loan spell. Liam Mogan 9 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:09:36 Glenn Keeley — the worst ever loan signing? Peter Mills 10 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:18:13 Terry Curran was an influential loan-signing for the 2nd half of the 1983-84 season. Tony Abrahams 11 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:29:05 Terry Curran was my initial thought, Peter, which tells me that I am starting to get old.Lukaku, Campbell and Arteta were all very good loan signings. If there is one thing the club needs this summer, then it's good signings, whether they sign permanently or just on loan to begin with, like Alcaraz. Gerry Quinn 12 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:33:35 Never liked Lukaku with all of the pointing he did – drove me insane pointing here and there – still does! Good goalscorer though, not great. Peter Mills 13 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:40:24 Don't worry, Tony, you're still a nipper. I've been posting on another thread about a disallowed goal in the 1966 FA Cup final!No doubt Dave will come on here about a loan signing in 1951. Tony Abrahams 14 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:46:16 Hopefully, 60 years after Everton came from two goals behind to win the FA Cup, your grandsons will get to witness something similar next May, Peter.Just got a WhatsApp showing a report that is saying Forest, have written to Uefa complaining about Crystal Palace being able to enter next season's Europa League competition because they currently have dual ownership with another of next season's entries, Lyon.Hopefully we have got something similar to worry about this time next season. Danny O'Neill 15 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:47:19 Good shout on Arteta. I'd forgotten he originally came on loan.I preferred him wide than central though. Just an opinion.That made me laugh Peter. Imagine what Dave and John Mac could come up with!!Tony, don't start me. You know what I'm like with my pre-season predictions for Everton.I have read that Palace's ownership are trying to relinquish their stake to focus on Lyon. I don't know how legitimate it is. Tony Abrahams 16 Posted 09/06/2025 at 20:55:10 Peter sent me a couple of pictures of his grandson with the two different cups his team won in two days, so I was just naturally hoping it's Everton who complete the hat-trick, Danny!Imagine asking every young Evertonian if they would sooner win the cup with the team they play for or would they sooner watch Everton win the cup?I'm certain it would be Everton who would get every single 100% of the vote! Dave Abrahams 17 Posted 09/06/2025 at 21:09:35 Peter (13), Ah no loan signings in 1951 as you know, Peter, but I wouldn't mind going back to that year — I'd be ten or eleven and playing for the school juniors, just like Charlie and Sam have just played for their teams now. Mind you, my team never won anything, so congratulations to both of them and good luck with their future football. Well done — you can't beat playing and enjoying football. Paul Kernot 18 Posted 09/06/2025 at 21:50:06 Good article, Harry. Well researched with the dates etc too. I'll give you a pass for forgetting Arteta and Tim Howard. Posters on here are very knowledgeable and will always put you right but this is the kind of article worth reading at this time of year. Well done. Ian Jones 19 Posted 09/06/2025 at 23:57:40 On his day Gerard Deulofeu wasn't a bad loan. Took some getting used to. Matt Traynor 20 Posted 10/06/2025 at 07:35:59 As a corollary to this, how about 6 of the worst loan signings?- Sander Westerveld. Ex-RS, brought in for four weeks when all 3 of Everton's goalkeepers (Martyn, Wright and Turner) were out injured. Played a couple of games I think.- Espen Baardsen. Another GK, brought in for 1 match. I haven't bothered looking it up but pretty sure that was away at Tottenham. We conceded 4.- Brett Angell. Brought in twice on loan, solo appearance each time. Did enough for Mike Walker (candidate for worst manager in PL era) to sign him, and went on to score a solitary goal.- Ian Durrant. Brought in on loan around the same time as Duncan. Only played around 5 games. I remember one of them away at Palace. To quote our former, late manager, Walter Smith. "Disappointing".- Mitch Ward. Another one brought in loan and played a single game, which was apparently enough to sign him up permanently. From Sheffield United. I think this was HK III showing he'd started to lose his judgement...- Tommy Johnson. Signed from Celtic when clearly his average days were behind him. Was truly a depressing time to be an Everton fan. Apparently played 3 games, and I think I was there at one of them, but remember absolutely nothing about it.(Dis)Honourable mentions to:- Lu Weifeng (1 appearance? Think it was Southampton away - I was there and we lost).- Rodrigo (apparently Rodrigo Beckham!!) - although I think injury scuppered what could've been a promising Everton career of flattering-to-deceive. - Ibrahim Said. Nothing can be said of his appearances, as he made none.- Franny Jeffers. Return of the Prodigal Son. Fox in the box and doyen of Merseyside taxi drivers returned and in 18 appearances, failed to score.- Matteo Ferrari, Segundo Castillo, Jo, and Royston Drenthe (with the basement nightclub) - I've lost the will to write more about their forgettable time at the club. Dave Abrahams 21 Posted 10/06/2025 at 09:56:05 Matt (20),I think if Moyes had played Royston Drenthe, although definitely a playboy, in that semi-final v Liverpool instead of the pathetic Magaye Gueye, we might have seen a different result.For 62 dreadful bleedin' minutes, Moyes kept Gueye on the field before taking him off. Danny O'Neill 22 Posted 10/06/2025 at 10:07:52 Some pearlers there, Matt!!Dave, did you have remind me about that semi-final? You're worse than Tony. I'm driving this afternoon and need to concentrate on the road, not having flashbacks!! Brian Harrison 23 Posted 10/06/2025 at 10:17:44 Personally, I wouldn't allow any Premier League side to take a player on loan.By all means allow the Championship clubs and below to take players on loan. Peter Mills 24 Posted 10/06/2025 at 11:22:28 Cheers, Tony. Dave#17, thank you for your good wishes for the lads.You got me thinking about loans. I remember reading about how they were used during World War 2, including a certain W. Shankly of Preston who helped our loveable neighbours to a 4-2 derby win. I also think Manchester Utd were allowed to borrow players following the Munich disaster. Further reading took me to discover a case in the first FA Cup final. Harrow Chequers did not enter the tournament, but they loaned a player to Wanderers, who was listed on the team sheet as A H Chequer. I have heard of teams making use of a “ringer”, but I cant believe any teams in local leagues around here would stoop to such skullduggery! Dave Abrahams 25 Posted 10/06/2025 at 12:13:35 Peter (24)Yes Peter loans were frequent during the war with players playing for different clubs wherever they were posted, I dont know if there was a league or a cup competition during that time but matches most probably gave the people something to look forward to in a miserable world.Like yourself I have only read about these games being too young to go or even remember any of those played although I remember reading about Joe Louis, the heavyweight champion of the world at the time, being made an honoury member of Liverpool FC, a great champion Joe but it looks like he wasnt very bright! Dave Abrahams 26 Posted 10/06/2025 at 12:23:06 Peter (20)Further to your post about Man Utd borrowing players after the Munich disaster, they borrowed Ernie Taylor from Blackpool and Stan Crowther from Aston Villa and they were both allowed to play in the FA Cup Final that year. Although one them, Ernie Taylor I think, was not cup tied, having not played in the cup with Blackpool that season. I think Crowther might have played against them in the previous 1957 FA Cup Final. Man Utd borrowed Bob Hardcastle(?) from Blythe Spartans, the famous amateur team, and another young player who they signed permanently later on, whose name escapes me at the moment, but I think he played for England later on — a winger, if I'm not mistaken. Mark Murphy 27 Posted 10/06/2025 at 13:02:16 If Palace cant play in the same European competition as Lyon where does that leave us in future with AC Roma?? Danny O'Neill 28 Posted 10/06/2025 at 13:28:47 There is a way around it, Mark. Man City (Girona) and Man Utd (Nice) applied to Uefa and got approval. If there are independent boards in place at both clubs, the multi-ownership issue can be taken out of the equation.It's all a bit of a grey area, as one of the caveats is that the owners can't be involved in the decision-making. I presume this means directly relating to the competition, because they aren't going to stop their oversight of their clubs.One thing that Uefa did insist on, however, was that Man Utd couldn't sign a player they were about to from Nice. Man City were able to sign a player who had featured for Girona, because he returned to his parent club, Troyes, at the end of the previous season.It's all very murky. Geoff Cadman 29 Posted 10/06/2025 at 15:12:11 Matt #20,Westerveld was the 5th goalkeeper to represent Everton in a run of 5 consecutive league games. This included the 3 you posted, plus John Ruddy who came on as a sub after Iain Turner was sent off against Blackburn. Matt Traynor 30 Posted 11/06/2025 at 07:09:48 Good memory, Geoff #29.If I recall correctly, we won that game against Blackburn, despite the red card? Ian Bennett 31 Posted 11/06/2025 at 07:52:41 Howard, Yobo, Zouma, Barry, Fernandes, Arteta, Pienaar, Donovan, Ferguson, Campbell, Lukuku An unconventional 11, but would do well enough. Eddie Palin 32 Posted 12/06/2025 at 10:37:51 Kurt Zouma was a good loan signing before he kicked the cat. Brian Wilkinson 33 Posted 12/06/2025 at 18:03:39 Liam @9 why did you have to do it, just as I was finally erasing Glen Keeley from my memory bank.It has to be the worst decision ever, bringing him in, mate. Dave Abrahams 34 Posted 12/06/2025 at 18:47:46 Liam (9) and Brian (33), I think playing Glen Keeley in that game might go down as one of the worst decisions Howard Kendall ever made, the lad wasn't match fit, hadn't played that season through injury.He told Kendall he wasn't match fit, Howard told him he'd be okay — so he played and proved he wasn't match fit! Geoff Cadman 35 Posted 12/06/2025 at 20:23:37 Matt we did think we were already leading when Turner handled the ball outside the box.Shows how rule changes affect games when you consider the FA Cup Final this season. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb