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Everton midfielder set to leave Goodison, manager is long-term admirer - report
By Danny Wright
Everton midfielder Joe Williams is set to leave Goodison Park on a season-long loan to join Championship club Barnsley, according to a report.
News outlet HITC claims that the 20-year-old will become the latest youngster player to leave Merseyside on temporary terms this summer following Brendan Galloway, Tyias Browning and Matthew Pennington.
The report says that Barnsley manager Paul Heckingbottom is a “long-term admirer” of Williams and is hoping to make him a key part of his squad next season.
Williams has suffered an injury-plagued few years with the Toffees, but still managed to earn a new three-year contract in February which keeps him at the club until 2020.
It is understood that Ronald Koeman is a fan of the young playmaker, but with new arrivals in the first-team, Williams would have perhaps found it difficult to have a chance to impress his manager even more.
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HITC adds that a number of second-tier sides had made an approach for Williams, but Barnsley have stolen a march on their league rivals to snap up the midfielder.
Football Insider Verdict
Everton have been really busy this summer with both players coming in and leaving the club. It makes a lot of sense to send some of the young players out on loan as it’s true that the arrivals of players like Michael Keane, Cuco Martina, Wayne Rooney and Davy Klaassen will restrict their chances of getting into the senior squad. Williams looks like he has a good future ahead of him and his fresh three-year contract shows that Koeman has big plans for the youngster. Everton are one of England’s best clubs for developing young talent so the likes of David Unsworth and co can be more than trusted to make the correct calls.
In other Everton news, the Toffees have made contact for this La Liga attacker and could meet his release clause of £26.5million.
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