Everton have confirmed that attacking midfielder Kieran Dowell and defender Callum Connolly have both agreed terms to new contracts at the club.
The Toffees revealed that the pair had put pen to paper on fresh deals, both for three-years, via their official Twitter account and website.
? | @kierandowell1 and @Callum1connolly have signed new three-year deals with the Blues.
More ? https://t.co/NqZ8nHMkn1 pic.twitter.com/jnwiB7Wgnz
— Everton (@Everton) August 9, 2018
The 20-year-old enforcer is set to head to Wigan Athletic on loan for the current season, having spent time in the Championship with Ipswich town during the last campaign.
Attacker Dowell also spent time in the second tier last term, appearing 43 times with Nottingham Forest, netting 10 times.
Opinion
While deadline day might all be about the new faces coming through the door, there is something to be said about securing the futures of promising talent, and the fact that Everton have committed their young pair to three-year deals shows they have serious faith they can grow into fully fledged stars. Playing regularly in the Championship appears to have helped their progress immensely and the Toffees will be hoping that Connolly can continue to show his worth with Wigan. As for Dowell, he could well be set to play a part in the first team for the upcoming campaign, although Football League teams could still snap him up on a temporary deal until the loan window slams shut on August 31. If he is at Goodison Park beyond that, then expect Marco Silva to give him a chance in the likes of the EFL Cup, which will be a great opportunity for him to stake his claim for more action.