Dundee United close to agreeing deal for Everton centre-back

Everton centre-back Ryan Astley is close to agreeing a move to join Dundee United, according to the latest reports.

The Wales U/21 defender is set to sign personal terms on a free transfer, according to Sky Sports News. Astley, 22, is yet to make a senior appearances for the Toffees but he has been with the club through the academy years and made his debut for the U/21 side aged just 16 under former Blue David Unsworth. However, the club are set to part ways with the defender on a free and they are set to insert a sell-on clause into the deal but the figure hasn't been revealed. Last season saw him gain valuable experience in League One in the EFL with Accrington Stanley, as he managed 32 appearances but the club struggled overall and were relegated to League Two. He's also been a key figure for the Welsh youth teams, as he captained the Wales U/21 side to victory over Gibraltar in 2022 and has been used at U/17, U/19 and U/20 level by his country.

In terms of his performances at Accrington, he featured 23 times in the league - with a 6.77 average rating - marking a fine first senior season for the 21-year-old, upheld by his 1.7 interceptions, 2.4 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore. Astley also signed a new one-year deal with Everton in the summer, but he has struggled to break into the fold under Sean Dyche with James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Ben Godfrey and Michael Keane all ahead of him. Despite his time at Everton and Accrington Stanley, the jump up to the first team has proven too far and now he gets a chance to develop in the Scottish top-flight, with Dundee sat seventh in the league.