Recently, Everton Football Club announced the signing of talented midfielder Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa, bringing one of the most promising prospects for the England under-20 team to their fold. He will probably start for Sean Dyche in the first team after costing the club £9 million.
Iroegbunam is not the only youthful player from the England under-20 team who has the potential to be a star in the Premier League this year, though. Adam Wharton, a midfielder, is now at Euro 2024 with the first team after transferring from Blackburn Rovers to Crystal Palace in January and performing exceptionally well at Selhurst Park.
Lewis Miley of Newcastle, who joined the Magpies at the age of 17, and spent a large portion of the season in the starting lineup, are also members of that squad. The group also includes Tottenham striker Dane Scarlett, Manchester City winger Micah Hamilton, and his Newcastle colleague Lewis Hall.
The Toffees have been connected to another member of that squad, who captained the team until he was too old to play, though, as the summer transfer window approaches. It’s possible that he will switch to Goodison in the transfer window.
Everton target League One defender
The player in question is Ronnie Edwards, an English defender with Peterborough United. The 21-year-old is well-liked by both neutrals and Posh supporters, and Premier League teams may show interest in signing him this summer.
That is, at least, what journalist Graeme Bailey claims in a report. Bailey notes that as clubs try to pry the talented young defender away from the club, “interest from the Premier League has gathered” in recent days and that the competition for the player is “heating up.”
The Toffees won’t be the only elite team vying for Edwards’ services, either. Bailey claims that more teams than just Everton have made “enquiries,” with Newcastle hoping to sign him and put him back alongside Miley and Hall. Along with the Saints, other South Coast teams Brighton and Southampton are interested in signing him.
According to Sky Sports, the Posh would consider a deal of about £10 million for Edwards. The 21-year-old’s contract expires in a year, therefore Peterborough might agree to a reduced price to keep him from leaving the team for nothing.
Why Edwards would be a good signing
Edwards played 55 games for Peterborough last season, missing only one in League One and 90 minutes in their play-off semifinal loss to eventual victors Oxford United, despite his advanced age and lack of experience overall. In League One, the captain of the England under-20 team also contributed to 13 clean sheets.
One guy who is a major supporter of the Peterborough man is football commentator H. On social media, he frequently waxes poetic over him, declaring that he is the “crème de la crème” of young English center backs and promising to “play for England one day.”
Edwards is a center-back with a progressive profile who excels when handling the ball. He is one of League One’s top passers of the ball statistically and a great carrier. The 21-year-old averages 83.4 accuracy passes per game at a 92% accuracy rate, which leads all players in the division, according to Sofascore. He also averages more long balls per game than any other player in League One with 6.9.
Should Everton get a deal for Edwards across the line, the 21-year-old could become an ideal replacement for Jarrad Branthwaite. Like the Peterborough defender, Branthwaite is highly rated and already has one England cap to his name. His future at Goodison Park is not certain, with Manchester United sniffing around to add him to their squad, If he does leave, Everton could replace one of the best English centre-back prospects with another at the heart of their defence.
Both of them are outstanding defenders in their respective roles. Similar to Branthwaite, Edwards excels at box defense and is as comfortable defending wide areas. He is an England international. Their results from the previous season, which are tied despite the difference in quality between the leagues they participated in in 2023–2024, show this.
| Edwards vs. Branthwaite defensive numbers compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat (per 90) | Edwards | Branthwaite |
| Ground duels won | 1.9 | 2.5 |
| Aerial duels won | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| Tackles and Interceptions | 2.2 | 3.3 |
| Clearances | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| Ball recoveries | 5.6 | 5.2 |
| Stats from Sofascore | ||
Edwards would provide quality and depth to Everton’s defense choices if a transfer could be finalized this summer, lessening the effect of Branthwiate’s possible sale. Though it is unclear if he will start right away, the 21-year-old might be Branthwaite’s ideal successor.
The Posh defender, who is expected to cost just £10 million, has the potential to be England’s next great thing and a mainstay of the Everton defense for many years to come. He is a perfect replacement for the defender who left Carlisle.
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