According to Football Insider, Fraser Hornby has ‘completed a medical’ at Stade Reims and will ‘finalise the transfer in 48 hours’. The 20-year-old has been on the periphery at Everton since arriving in 2014, so his departure isn’t a surprise.
Hornby joined Everton from Northampton in 2014 and has made only one appearance at senior level. The Scotland U21 international has spent the season on loan at KV Kortrijk, scoring four goals and making one assist in 14 games, but he’s been short of playing time in Belgium – five minutes of football in 2020.
With Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Moise Kean, Cenk Tosun and Oumar Niasse standing in Hornby’s way of getting playing time, it’s been clear for some time that he’ll have to seek opportunities elsewhere. The fact that Hornby lost his place at KV Kortrijk shows he may not be at the level required to play in the Premier League just yet too.
Stade Reims are currently fifth in Ligue 1, so they’re no slouches. Les rouges et blancs struggle for goals, however, so Hornby might have a better chance of featuring as a striker who’s impressed at youth level – 16 goals and 3 assists in 20 games (U18s), 8 goals and 3 assists in 33 games (U23s).