Young Everton forward Francis Okoronkwo has reportedly reached an agreement for a new long-term contract with the club, according to sources cited by Football Insider. The 19-year-old, who joined Everton from Sunderland in a deal valued at approximately £1 million in 2021, is set to extend his stay at the club beyond his current deal, which was set to expire next summer.
While Okoronkwo has yet to make his full senior debut for Everton, he has been named in first-team matchday squads. This season, the Blyth-born talent has been a consistent starter for Everton’s Under-21 side, featuring in every match and contributing with two goals and one assist in nine appearances.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Okoronkwo featured in 36 matches across all competitions for the Merseyside club’s youth team, amassing eight goals and six assists. His versatility allows him to play as a center-forward or on the left flank in an attacking trio.
In Everton’s youth academy, several promising players have successfully transitioned to the senior squad in recent times, including Lewis Dobbin, Joao Virginia, and Tyler Onyango. However, Okoronkwo currently faces competition from established first-team forwards like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Beto, Arnaut Danjuma, and Youssef Chermiti.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton’s leading goalscorer in the 2023-24 campaign, has made an impressive return from injury, notching four goals in eight games. Everton, currently 15th in the Premier League standings after winning three of their first ten games, will face Burnley in the League Cup in their next fixture.