Everton left short on depth after loaning out defensive duo

Everton have been left light on options at centre-back for the remainder of the season, with Lewis Gibson and Morgan Feeney having left on loan.

The Toffees have confirmed this morning that Under-23s captain Feeney has joined Tranmere Rovers on loan until the end of the season, while Gibson has moved to Joey Barton’s Fleetwood Town after signing a new two-and-a-half year contract.

That now leaves Everton with few options at the back, and should injury strike on Merseyside, the club could find themselves in a spot of bother.

Behind the senior trio of Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Mason Holgate, Everton have January signing Jarrad Branthwaite, and Under-23s duo Ryan Astley and Matty Foulds.

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While details of the defensive loans haven’t been spelled out, I would assume that the centre-back duo have re-call clauses in their contracts, as Everton would needlessly be putting themselves at risk otherwise.

As times creeps closer to the transfer deadline, it appears more and more unlikely that Everton will bring in anyone new, which does raise concerns about the limited squad depth if the club were to suffer another serious injury in a shallow area.

Should any of Everton’s senior centre-backs be forced to sit on the sidelines for an extended period of time, the options currently at the club are weak. It would be too soon to bring Branthwaite until the first team, while neither Astley or Foulds have come close to making a senior appearance at Goodison Park.

Feeney meanwhile has played for Everton twice, coming on against Atalanta in the Europa League in 2017, while starting in the same competition in a dead rubber fixture against Apollon Limassol a few weeks after making his debut.

While Gibson hasn’t played senior football yet, the 19-year old has been on the cusp of the Everton first team for the majority of the season (Liverpool Echo), and he will now likely soak up experience at the Highbury Stadium.

Everton will now hope that their senior trio can remain injury free for the remaining four months of the season, unless they are able to bring another defender in before tonight’s 11pm deadline.