How are Everton loanees Niels Nkounkou, Moise Kean, Joao Virginia, Lewis Gibson and Nathan Broadhead faring?

The international break gives us a chance to take our gaze away from the first-team action at Goodison Park.

Everton currently have five players out on loan garnering experience elsewhere.

Here’s a look at how each of them are faring.

Niels Nkounkou - Standard Liege

The left-back's exit on transfer deadline day came as somewhat of a shock because it left Lucas Digne as Everton's only senior option.

Still, a spell away from Goodison Park playing regular senior football is what Nkounkou needed at this stage of his career.

The 20-year-old joined Standard Liege and he's played in all four of their matches he’s be available for to date.

He helped the Belgium side defeat RFC Seraing on debut before Liege suffered losses to Anderlecht, Sint-Truiden and KV Mechelen.

Worryingly, Nkounkou was taken off after just 31 minutes in the 3-1 loss to Mechelen.

Liege are 12th in the table.

Mois Kean - Juventus

The striker is technically on loan at Juventus, although he's set to make his return permanently in 2023.

Kean has played seven games for the Old Lady so far, scoring once in a 3-2 defeat of Spezia Calcio.

Juve haven't had the greatest of starts to the campaign and they sit seventh in Serie A.

Joao Virginia - Sporting Lisbon

After making three appearances - including a Premier League debut - last season, the goalkeeper was granted a temporary exit to aid his promising progress.

However, Virginia has found things tough back in his homeland.

The 21-year-old is still to make an appearance for Sporting, with Antonio Adan firmly first-choice stopper.

Sporting are third in the table.

Lewis Gibson - Sheffield Wednesday

There were high hopes for the centre-back a couple of seasons ago.

But Gibson finds himself back in League One and has struggled at Wednesday so far.

Injuries meant that the 21-year-old only made his debut in a 2-1 victory over Mansfield in the Papa John's Trophy on Tuesday night.

He was taken off at half-time as a precaution.

However, now back fit, Gibson is expected to play a prominent role in Darren Moore's side's promotion push.

Wednesday occupy 12th spot.

Nathan Broadhead - Sunderland

The 23-year-old is at a crucial time in his career - and needs to kick on at the Stadium of Light.

In fairness, that’s what Broadhead has been doing so far. He's thrust his way into the Black Cats' starting line-up, scoring once in six outings.

The former Wales youth international missed Sunderland's 4-0 thrashing at Portsmouth last weekend because of a hamstring problem, but manager Lee Johnson has allayed fears.

The Wearsiders are second in League One.

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