Former Everton midfielder Joe Williams has insisted that there are young players in the Toffees academy whose path to the first team has been blocked by the club’s decision to bring in new players.
Williams had loan stints at Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers before leaving Everton on a permanent move to Wigan during the last summer transfer window.
A product of the Everton academy, the young midfielder did not play a senior game for the club before moving to the Latics, where he has started the last six league games.
Williams has revealed his displeasure at Everton’s decision to bring in more players when there are youngsters at the club who are ready to step up to the first team.
He insisted that there are talented players in the Everton academy who are ready to play first-team football but have their paths blocked by new signings.
The 22-year-old is not at all surprised that Jonjoe Kenny, who joined Schalke on loan from Everton in the summer, has been doing well in Germany as he feels he is good enough.
“I’ll never agree with bringing someone in when you’ve got a kid there who is ready, who will ultimately be doing the same job, sitting on the bench”, Williams told The Athletic.
“I’d rather give that opportunity to a young lad.
"I think there a few decent young players there that could be getting a look-in and aren’t because Everton have signed a lot of new players.
“Jonjoe has gone out on loan with Schalke.
"He’s doing really well over there. It surprised me when he went and scored a worldie [against Hertha Berlin] the other week!
“That’s the reason we’ve had to come out and get games.
"It’s disappointing but there’s more to life than just Everton. For us, it was best to move on.”
Antonee Robinson, another former Everton academy starlet, left the club along with Williams to join Wigan last summer.
