Everton Want This 20-Year-Old Raw Potential: Do The Toffees Need Him Or An Experienced Lad? | OneFootball

Manchester United academy striker Ethan Wheatley has emerged as a surprise permanent target for Everton, with the Merseyside club exploring a deal that few expected earlier this summer. The Manchester Evening News reports that discussions are still in their early stages, although Everton’s interest is genuine after United spent recent weeks assessing Championship loan options for the 20-year-old instead of an outright sale.

Everton could make unexpected move for Manchester United youngster

A familiar face sits behind the move. Everton technical director Nick Cox knows Wheatley exceptionally well after overseeing his rise through Manchester United’s academy, and his admiration for the young striker has remained unchanged since leaving Old Trafford. That relationship explains why Everton have entered the picture so suddenly.

Wheatley reached an important milestone in April 2024 when he became Manchester United’s 250th academy graduate to appear for the first team, making his debut from the bench against Sheffield United. His development has centred on senior football since then. During the 2025/26 League One season, he scored three goals and supplied one assist in 22 appearances for Northampton Town before joining Bradford City in January, where he failed to register a goal or assist across 12 league matches after struggling for regular minutes. Fabrizio Romano has since revealed that Everton are preparing a formal proposal, adding fresh momentum to the story.

T4O take: Everton need experience before potential

PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 29: Ethan Wheatley of Northampton Town in action during the Sky Bet League One match between Plymouth Argyle and Northampton Town at Home Park on November 29, 2025 in Plymouth, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

David Moyes faces a much bigger issue than adding another promising striker. Everton require goals now, and Wheatley hasn’t shown enough at senior level to suggest he can shoulder that responsibility immediately.

His League One record tells an honest story. Three goals and one assist across 34 appearances represent a player still adjusting to the demands of professional football rather than someone ready to become a Premier League focal point. That’s perfectly normal for a 20-year-old, although the timing matters.

Meanwhile, uncertainty continues around Iliman Ndiaye because of strong Saudi Arabian interest. Beto has struggled to produce consistently, while Thierno Barry is still finding his feet. Those problems demand an experienced finisher instead of another project.

Everton can still justify the move

Viewed through an academy lens, the transfer still has genuine logic. Cox understands Wheatley’s character, strengths and long-term potential better than most executives in English football. If Everton can secure him for a sensible fee, they would be adding an England Under-20 international whose development has hardly stalled despite an uneven campaign.

T4O believes this transfer should stand alone from Everton’s first-team recruitment. Wheatley deserves time, coaching and regular football after producing three goals and one assist across his 34 League One appearances last season. Expecting him to solve Moyes’ attacking problems would be unfair. Signing him as a calculated academy investment makes sense. Spending the remaining transfer budget on an established striker makes even more sense.