According to Football Insider, Matthew Pennington is set to leave Everton this summer. The 25-year-old is surplus to requirements and will be offloaded when the season comes to a close. Marcel Brands has been tasked with the job of locating a suitor for Pennington in the final year of his contract, as Everton want to cash in rather than risk losing him for nothing in 2021.
Where will Everton finish in the Premier League?
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Pennington has made only nine appearances for Everton since rising through the youth ranks to the first-team in 2015/16, the last of which came in April 2017, so he’s been on the periphery for some time. The centre-back has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons on loan at Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Hull City, so the Championship appears to be his level.
Carlo Ancelotti is looking to sign a centre-back to accompany Mason Holgate, Yerry Mina and Michael Keane and isn’t considering an existing player other than Lewis Gibson to step-up. Pennington has gone three years without making an appearance for Everton, so it would be a shock to see him return to the first-team next season.
The 25-year-old has made 11 appearances in all competitions for Hull City but hasn’t been on the winning side for more than two months. Pennington has been part of a defence that has conceded four or more goals in three of their last five games while keeping only one clean sheet in 2020.
In 700 minutes of football, he’s completed 69.4% of 294 passes, won 32 aerial duels (65%), had five successful dribbles, blocked 16 shots/passes/crosses, made 28 clearances and averaged a tackle (7) or interception (20) every 26 minutes.
Pennington has put in some good performances for Hull, but it doesn’t appear he’s convinced Everton to give him a reprieve.