According to the Football Insider, League Two outfit Salford City are set to sign Everton player Francis Okoronkwo on loan.
The 19-year-old is set for his first senior loan spell away from Goodison Park, and it looks like it’ll be to League Two side Salford who offer Okoronkwo a chance to impress in men’s football.
Okoronkwo joined the Premier League side from Championship side Sunderland in 2021, in a deal worth around £1 million. Although he has been at Everton for three years, he is yet to make his senior debut. Despite this, he has been involved in the first-team matchday squads.
The Blyth-born striker is under contract at Goodison until 2026, after signing a contract extension in late 2023. He has been involved in Everton’s pre-season campaign and has been given the green light to leave on loan despite the uncertainty surrounding the Toffies striker position. Neal Maupay has departed as he heads back to France with Dominic Calvert-Lewin being the subject of interest all summer and entering the final year of his contract on Merseyside.
Karl Robinson took over at Salford in early January of this year and managed to avoid a relegation scrap, despite finishing 20th. The Ammies were undoubtedly looking to improve on the poor campaign this season, but have so far failed to do so, going winless in both League and EFL Cup and trophy. They have picked up two points from a possible nine, meaning they are currently back where they finished last season, in 20th place.
Robinson has been extremely busy on the transfer front in this window, with 13 new players coming through the door at the Peninsula Stadium. Free agents Robbie Cleary, Dan Chesters, Tom Edwards, James Chester, Jamie Jones, Jon Taylor, Ben Woodburn, Cole Stockton and Josh Austerfield have all come in on free transfers, whilst Stephan Negru, Matty Young, Tyrese Fornah and Kylian Kouassi have all made the temporary switch to Salford. Okoronkwo looks to join the list of four loanees already at the club.
However, the transfer window doesn’t come without negatives, with 12 players from last season either moving onto pastures new or retiring, in the case of top scorer Matt Smith. Smith’s goals have proved to be a miss so far in the opening games, with only one goal scored in all competitions for the Ammies so far. Other crucial players such as Elliot Watt, Alex Cairns, Callum Hendry and Theo Vassell have all left, either to make the step-up divisions or sign for rival League Two clubs.
Writer’s View
Salford are looking for another striker, and it is obvious why with their lack of goal-scoring threat so far this season. We are three games in, in terms of the League, not to mention they’ve played in both the EFL Cup and Trophy and scored only once, last weekend against Chesterfield. With the limited time left before the window slams shut, Salford could do much worse in terms of recruitment. There was no doubt that the Ammies needed more bodies in before the deadline, with the side having such a poor start to proceedings.
For both Everton and Okoronkwo, this loan move makes sense. Despite their poor start, it is a side where the 19-year-old is going to get game time, and that is what is crucial for such a young player at his age. The teenager needs games under his belt, and he’ll get just that with a loan move away from Goodison.
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