Nathangelo Markelo has warned that he will leave Everton if he doesn’t receive first-team game time soon.
The Netherlands youth international signed for the Toffees in the summer of 2017 from Dutch second division side FC Volendam, and was considered a hot prospect.
With his contract set to expire next summer, Markelo previously claimed that he hoped the Blues would activate their option to extend his current deal, with the versatile defender-cum-midfielder only having eyes for Everton.
Now though, the 20-year admits that he is ready for first-team football, and if he doesn’t get it at Everton he will look elsewhere. Talking to Voetbal International (via Sport Witness), Markelo said:
Of course I hope I can make minutes at Everton 1 (the first-team).
If not, I will look further into the Netherlands or another country. I’m ready for men’s football. Is the Eredivisie is an option? Yes, certainly.
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This seems to be a natural response from Markelo, and you can’t blame him for considering his future.
It is always difficult to find the right time to bring young players through, and with Markelo having fallen behind the likes of Anthony Gordon in the pecking order, it does seem difficult to imagine him playing for the first-team.
When players like Beni Baningime slip down the pecking order, with the midfielder having received a sizeable taste of first-team action and, by and large, impressing while being a part of that group, it becomes increasingly hard to see Markelo’s path to the senior side.
I’d love for the Dutchman to stay and continue developing ahead of potentially featuring in the future, but I couldn’t blame someone for looking toward the exit if first-team football is promised elsewhere.
