View: Everton youngster's future looks bleak, stats show why summer exit on cards

Omari Benjamin looks highly unlikely to make the step-up to the first team at Everton.

Everton have had very few players make the step up from academy level to first team over the last few years, though there have been a few exceptions.

Harrison Armstrong is the most notable example, having returned from his loan spell at Preston in January to play a fairly prominent role under David Moyes.

However, there have been a handful of players with high expectations on Merseyside, with hopes of following a similar trajectory, and that includes Benjamin.

But unfortunately for him, the final destination seems to be a lot bleaker.

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How has Omari Benjamin fared for Everton Under-21s?

Benjamin has been with the Toffees ever since he left Arsenal in 2024, but he has struggled to make his mark at youth level.

His first season on Merseyside saw him score nine goals and register three assists in 25 appearances, but his numbers have dropped signficantly in the current campaign.

The 20-year-old has managed just two goals in 16 appearances for the Under-21s this season, both of them having come in the Premier League 2.

But perhaps the biggest concern over his ability to make the step up lies deeper in his stats for the campaign, and, in particular, his ability on the ball.

Benjamin has completed just 59.1 per cent of his passes in Premier League 2, with an average of just 5.89 per 90.

With just 23.89 touches per game, only 20 per cent of attackers in the division are having less of an influence in games.

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What’s next for Benjamin at Everton?

Unfortunately, it would seem like very little.

Benjamin has just one year left on his contract at Everton at thee nd of the current campaign, and the general feeling is that he is unlikely to get a new one.

There is a chance that the Toffees have one last roll of the dice on the forward and send him out on loan, but a permanent summer exit appears just as likely.

Thierno Barry is just three years older than Benjamin, and while he has not exactly moved mountains this season, the difference in quality in such a small age gap is a clear indication of how difficult it will be for Benjamin to make the step.

For more on Everton’s youth, check out Football Insider for the latest news and analysis.

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