8 Everton youngsters hoping to impress Sean Dyche during pre-season trip including £1m signing

Everton are coming towards the end of their pre-season training camp in the Republic of Ireland.

The Toffees jetted to the Emerald Isle earlier this week to be put through their paces before playing Sligo Rovers in a friendly on Friday (16.00 BST).

Accompanying Sean Dyche’s squad are a number of younger players who will all be hoping to catch the Goodison Park manager’s eye. Here’s a look at the fledgling talents involved.

Elijah Campbell

The defender has spent the past seven years at Everton and has been capped at England under-18 level. Campbell had a loan spell at Fleetwood Town during the second half of the 2023-24 season. Although the Cod Army were relegated from League One, it proved good senior experience for the 19-year-old as he made 12 appearances.

Reece Welch

The centre-back has been highly regarded while coming through the youth ranks at the Toffees. Welch was a regular for England throughout the age groups and was handed a debut in a 2–0 FA Cup victory over Boreham Wood in March 2022. The 20-year-old was loaned to Forest Green during the first half of last season and played 23 times for the League Two strugglers before being recalled. Welch has been linked with Dutch sides SC Heerenveen and NEC Nijmegen this summer.

Roman Dixon

The 19-year-old right-back was recently handed a three-year deal at Goodison Park. Dixon made 20 appearances for Paul Tait’s under-21s last season while he was capped twice at England under-20 level. The Blues do have options on the right-hand side of defence in Seamus Coleman, Nathan Patterson and Ashley Young but he’ll be hoping to catch the eye.

Tyler Onyango

A 21-year-old midfielder who a significant number of fans will be aware of. Onyango was given his Everton bow by Carlo Ancelotti in a 3-0 FA Cup defeat of Sheffield Wednesday in January 2021 and made three substitute appearances in the Premier League the next term.

Onyango, 21, has had loans at Burton Albion and Forest Green but suffered a serious hamstring injury at the latter. Last season, he also struggled for fitness and featured 10 times for the under-21s, as well as coming off the bench for Dyche’s side in a 4-0 loss at Aston Villa.

Jenson Metcalfe

The midfielder featured on the bench five times for the first team last season. Metcalfe, 19, was one of the under-21s’ standout players as he recorded two goals and four assists in 21 appearances.

Francis Okoronkwo

The centre-forward, 19, signed a new deal last November amid reported interest in his services. Okoronwko bagged a total of five goals in 14 games of 2023-24, missing the final six outings seemingly because of injury. He joined Everton for a reported £1 million from Sunderland in September 2021.

Harry Tyrer

The 22-year-old goalkeeper’s career has very much been on an upward trajectory. Tyrer has spent the past two seasons on loan - first at Chester where he thrived before helping Chesterfield win the National League title last term. He made 43 appearances, keeping 11 clean sheets for Paul Cook’s side.

A loan to the EFL may be in the offing later in the summer but Tyrer could be required before Jordan Pickford returns to duty.

Žan-Luk Leban

The Slovenia under-21 goalkeeper also returns to the Blues after a loan spell. The 21-year-old was at National League North side Farsley Celtic where he kept 15 clean sheets in 41 outings as the Yorkshire side narrowly avoided relegation.