Aled Thomas is the latest Academy prospect to sign up | OneFootball

Everton have announced that promising young defender Aled Thomas has signed his first professional contract, committing his future to the Blues until the end of June 2027.

The 18-year-old, a product of the Finch Farm academy system, has agreed a 2-year deal, solidifying his long-standing association with the club he joined at just 7 years of age.

Wrexham-born Thomas has been a consistent performer for Paul Tait's Under-21s this season, showcasing his versatility and attacking prowess from defence. He made 15 appearances in Premier League 2, chipping in with an impressive 3 goals and 2 assists.

His contributions weren't limited to league action, as Thomas played a crucial role in the U21s' Liverpool Senior Cup triumph. Featuring in all three games, he notably provided a superb assist for Martin Sherif's goal from the left flank in the 4-1 final victory over Lower Breck at Walton Hall Park. Further demonstrating his importance, he also featured six times in the Premier League Cup and twice in the Vertu Motors Trophy.

Primarily a centre-back, Thomas's ability to operate on the left side of defence has made him a valuable asset. His talent has been recognized on the international stage, earning five caps for Wales at U19 level, including playing the full 90 minutes in their recent fixtures against Turkey and Portugal. He has proudly represented his country at every level since U16s.

In a historic moment back in February, Thomas also had the distinction of becoming the first player to captain an Everton side at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, leading out the U18s in their friendly match against Wigan Athletic.

This new contract is a testament to Thomas's hard work and potential, and all at Everton will be eagerly watching his continued development at the club.

Reader Comments (14)

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Michael Kenrick 2 Posted 07/07/2025 at 15:11:43

"Had Billy returned,"...

Not, I hope, waking the dead, Sean, or we'll have another Kenwright thread on the go before you know it.

So Neal William Maupay, perhaps? No, not his middle name?

Bilyaletdinov is too long in the tooth by now, surely.

No, I'm drawing a blank.

Danny O'Neill 3 Posted 07/07/2025 at 15:33:40

Genuinely intrigued if we have more expense at senior level Sean.

I don't think we've recruited more. I don't know if the new structure costs more than the previous one.

Denise Barrett-Baxendale replaced by a new CEO. Chairman for Chairman, a straight swap, the new one being our owner. I would imagine he will take the dividends of his investment elsewhere than taking a direct salary.

Sharp and other board members replaced. Thelwell and his team being replaced by the new recruitment structure. Again, it just looks different.

Seems to me, they've restructured. If anything, streamlined it a bit, or just made it more efficient and effective. I can't remember the name, but didn't we take in an investor too, who I don't think takes a salary. Someone can correct me.

I won't claim to know if it costs more or less. It's just been restructured from what I can see.

Now to get it right on the pitch.

Hugh Jenkins 4 Posted 07/07/2025 at 15:46:27

Other teams seem to be able to integrate young players into the first team structure early – whilst, at Everton, we always seem to be sending them out on loan until they are well into their twenties and, more often and not, they pick up a bad injury whilst on loan that hampers their further development, rather than aids it.

Hopefully, Aled will prove to be our second-string left-back PDQ and ditto for Roman Dixon on the right side.

Rant over.

Neil Thomas 6 Posted 07/07/2025 at 15:58:57

Why are we struggling to bring in any first team players, yet our women's team seem to be having no problems?

It's great signing all these young lads on, but it's senior players we're short of.

7 Posted 07/07/2025 at 18:08:29

Danny you say they have made things more efficient and effective. I remember Houllier of the Red Shite saying he was hampered by a recruitment committee. It slowed the decision process up to the point where preferred targets had gone elsewhere. I fear we have the same situation at Everton. Too many people having an input.

Look at our only signing so far: Alcaraz. Now I know his arrival in February wasn't done by the recent recruits but we needed to get a special dispensation from the Pope to get him in on loan and again it took an age to get it over the line recently.

With this committee in place, we won't be able to buy a bag of crisps as they will be arguing over which flavour. The delay in getting the Barry deal done is just typical Everton. We wait and wait and dither. How many times have we seen this before?

I genuinely fear for us this season if this is to continue.

Craig Scott 8 Posted 07/07/2025 at 20:20:33

Getting the “potential” in early like this lad, developing them properly in a decent academy, and delivering opportunities for the first team is what we need to be investing in.

Behind the scenes activities developing young talent, not front page tabloid speculation on past it players, is where we need to focus our attention.

We have to make these kids work, for too long we've been missing the trick of having 2, 3 or even 4 academy players in the starting 11, or at very least the 18 or so members of the first team.

A big worry is the fact they can only sign such short deals, past players have left in search of a quick big buck, joining the likes of Man City and Chelsea (in all fairness, you can't blame them) but we need to make the academy work for us.

Double edged that one Anthony @9.

Other teams can do it because their academies have been producing players of a standard that can step up. Even then, you are talking ones or twos, maybe three who are regulars.

We simply haven't been doing that for years. And it does take years to produce talent from academies who make it to the first team.

Everton could not throw up to 4 academy players in the first team. Hopefully the foundations laid by Thelwell and the new regime will rectify that in the next couple of seasons.

Right now? There is probably only Dixon and Armstrong. But even they will likely be involved with the squad and not starting. In time, the 17 year old Northern Irish Braiden Graham has caught the eye and could feature, but not just yet.

We need to make more out of the academy. Not just for our own first team squad, but for resale value.

That last sentence seems callous, but it is a harsh reality. I think Anthony Gordon is the best we've done in recent years and that was after a few seasons featuring in Everton's first team.

Essentially, if it was a school report, "must do better".

The reality is that most academy lads won’t make it at Premier League level. We do okay in comparison to other clubs but could definitely do better.

We’ve had two issues lately, one is that we’ve been fighting for survival and managers are much more reluctant to use young players in that situation. The other is that Moyes has always preferred older, more experienced players.

I’d love us to be the club that produces and picks up youngsters and gives them the opportunity, but I don’t see it happening any time soon. We wouldn’t even play Patterson for a run of games at the end of the season and went for Young and Coleman instead. He’s 23 and even if Moyes doesn’t rate him that highly, the run of games would have helped his confidence and us to sell him.

Dixon, Campbell, Reece Welch, Jenson Metcalfe and any of the others are very unlikely to get games under Moyes next season. Hopefully they’ll get games on loan in the Championship or another European top division.

Fair assessment that Mike @11.

I forgot about Reece Welch. Only one game, but he did stand out in the 2nd test event.

If we go down the loan route, I personally would prefer the continent for the different experience. It certainly benefitted Branthwaite, although he was a bit more ready made anyway.

I also forgot Antonee Robinson. He did well at Fulham and is now subject to speculation about a move to Tottenham.

Reece Welch has had a spell on loan on the continent and it didn't go well at all - and that was the Belgian 2nd division.

Moyes and his predecessors do not overlook players in the academy because they don't trust youth. They do it because the players in the academy aren't very good.

Danny O'Neill 15 Posted 08/07/2025 at 16:08:11

Two very good points there Robert.

Firstly, what looks to be our new signing Thierno Barry, spent time with Beveren in the Belgium second tier before his move to the Swiss league with Basel and then Villarreal.

Secondly, you've heard me say it enough and I agree with you. If the academy players were good enough, they would feature.