Dyche already has Tom Cannon 2.0 at Goodison Park for Everton.
By releasing a teenager who can “excite” supporters, the Toffees might secure their next big academy sale.
Everton recruited successfully throughout the summer, despite their dire financial situation, which has brought them dangerously close to failing to comply with the FFP laws.
The blockbuster signing of Beto for £30m was a deal that saw the money deferred until the following fiscal year, while the other purchases mostly represented a slew of free transfers and loan movements. Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell inherited a shambles, but they made significant progress toward cleaning it up last season.
With their Premier League competitors (at the time) writing to the league about the Toffees’ previous uncontrolled expenditure, they were referred to an independent commission in March, despite their unshakable attitude that they had in fact conformed with the regulations.
Despite the fact that the results have yet to be discovered, effort continues to be done to alleviate their FFP dilemma while the new stadium continues to sap their finances.
Fortunately, one option they do have to gain pure profit in the eyes of UEFA is to sell on academy graduates, as they do not count the spending clubs incur on youth academies, but do count the profit made from a sale.
The Merseyside club has used this option on a number of occasions in the past, with Ross Barkley, Francis Jeffers, Wayne Rooney, and others flying the nest for magnificent amounts to offset their financial difficulties.
With a potential move-in date to Bramley-Moore Dock scheduled for around the middle of the 2024/25 season, it is clear that this is a strategy they are pursuing until they can crawl across the finish line and begin raking in big revenue without that constant drain going on in the background.
Tom Cannon is a recent example of this.
How much did Everton get for Tom Cannon?
This new strategy was emphasized over the summer with the sale of Ellis Simms, Ishe Samuels-Smith, and Cannon, despite their enormous potential.
The latter was undoubtedly the most disappointing of all sales, as despite the £7.5m recouped, he arguably held the most promise given his outstanding goalscoring numbers at youth level.
With only four first-team appearances, it was an exorbitant fee for someone so inexperienced at the top level. However, with 29 goals in 42 U18s games and eight in 20 Championship appearances for Preston North End just last season, it’s easy to see why the demoted Foxes rushed for him.
His presence will be missed even if he remained essentially insignificant, as his temporary comrade Ryan Ledson noted: “Tom Cannon has been absolutely brilliant.” He is an asset to both himself and Everton Football Club. He’s worked hard, kept his head down, and is a good child since the moment he walked through the door. He’s 20 years old, has the world at his feet, and all he needs to do is concentrate on himself and scoring goals because he can go wherever he wants.”
So, with his departure being finalized and Dyche having properly bolstered the first-team squad, the focus now shifts to developing their next great academy star, who may either spearhead their survival push or earn them another enormous sum.
However, with the plethora of attacking skill they now have after massively investing over the summer, any advancement could be focused towards the latter as they attempt to navigate the FFP inquiry that looms over their season.
Who exactly is Francis Okoronkwo?
Francis Okoronkwo, who joined Everton in 2021, appears to have already adjusted to life in Merseyside given how quickly prolific he has proven himself to be.
The 18-year-old finisher, a natural striker described on Everton’s official website as “a skilful attacker with impressive speed, movement, and balance,” has already accelerated his development by prospering for the U18s, earning a speedy promotion.
The 2022/23 season marked his debut as a regular in the Premier League 2 after scoring three goals in his first eight games in the U18s Premier League, as well as three more in as many FA Youth Cup games. His six goal contribution was commendable, with his dynamism and trickery frequently forcing him out wide to accommodate others in the side.
This adaptability will have already piqued Dyche’s interest, given how he has embraced Arnaut Danjuma, who has a similar profile as a trickster capable of playing up front or off the left.
| Everton’s Record Academy Sales | Fee Paid |
|---|---|
| Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) | £39m |
| Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) | £32m |
| Ross Barkley (Chelsea) | £14m |
| Francis Jeffers (Arsenal) | £13m |
| Jack Rodwell (Manchester City) | £12.8m |
All fees via Transfermarkt
Okoronkwo admits that he enjoys getting supporters off their seats when they come to watch him play, which suggests that he is better suited to a larger position. In a preview of their FA Youth Cup match against Sheffield United last year, he said, “I’m feeling good going into Friday’s match and I think the most important thing in football is to be confident.”
“I enjoy thrilling people. I want to get out there and make people happy. I enjoy racing with the ball, trying to find my teammates in advantageous positions and scoring and assisting. So far, I’m enjoying my time at Everton. All of the players want to win, and we’re all aiming for the same thing. The coaches are assisting us. I really enjoy being in this club.”
Slowly developing with each season, and sure to evolve physically as a result of his emergence at a higher young level, the sky truly is the limit for the Blyth-born marksman, who certainly possesses pace and cleverness in abundance to complement his cutting edge in front of goal.
However, given Everton’s current cruel reality, fans should avoid becoming overly connected to their newest teenage phenomenon.
Too often in the past, they’ve seen academy talents sold quickly, with the money disappearing into a financial black hole. Although many will know where the club’s finances are headed right now, the club must be operated with amazing precision as the move-in date approaches, with the sale of potential academy players guaranteed to help with the simplicity of that stadium transfer.
Should he break into Dyche’s first-team or take a similar road to Cannon, he is already making significant efforts towards being the club’s next breakout star.
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