Everton will offer Brendan Galloway a new contract in the coming days, writes Phil Kirkbride in tonight’s Liverpool Echo.
The highly-rated youngster’s current deal runs until the summer of 2018, yet such has been his impact in his four first team appearances so far this season, it is thought Blues boss Roberto Martinez will now offer Galloway improved terms so as to tie his long-term future to the club.
Last summer, Everton beat a number of top Premier League sides, including Arsenal and Chelsea, to the 19-year-old’s signature, and the Goodison Park hierarchy believe a lucrative new deal to be the best way to ward off future interest in the talented teenager.
Galloway excelled at left-back in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea and was called up to the most recent England U21 squad. Despite having to pull out due to injury, the former MK Dons starlet returned to action in style at the weekend, supplying Steven Naismith’s first goal with a superb left-wing cross.
The Zimbabwe-born prospect, who is equally at home in the centre of defence, was expected to go out on loan at the start of this season, but his solid performances in pre-season convinced Martinez to reject overtures from the likes of Bolton and Brentford.
“I think Brendan is ready to play left-back at this level,” said the Blues boss in a recent interview with the Echo. “After 50 games he could play centre-half.
“At the age that he is, 19, every day is an improvement and every day he’s getting better.”
Meanwhile, Conor McAleny’s reward for a productive start to the U21 season came today in the form of a two-month loan move to Championship side Charlton.
The 23-year-old academy graduate has been on the fringes of the Everton first team squad after a string of encouraging peformances. However, with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Arouna Koné and Steven Naismith ahead of him in the Goodison pecking order, Whiston-born McAleny will now head to the Valley in search of regular competitive football.
McAleny could make his Addicks bow in tomorrow night’s home game against Huddersfield Town.
We wish Conor all the best for his time with the South London club.
