Everton reward academy midfielder with first professional contract
Everton have handed midfielder Melvin Matos his first professional contract, tying him to the club until the end of June 2028.
The 17-year-old signed for Everton in 2024, arriving from Bedford, and wasted little time making an impression at Under-18s level.
He made 15 league appearances in his debut season and scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers in April 2025. He has since progressed into the club’s Under-21s setup.
Matos models his game on N’Golo Kante and Claude Makelele, and cites his energy and ball-winning as his main strengths — attributes that have caught the eye of Everton’s academy staff as he’s moved up through the age groups.
The deal is confirmation that the club continues to back its Under-18s pipeline, with Matos the latest academy graduate to be handed a senior deal after progressing through the ranks at Finch Farm.
Everton’s Under-21s squad has been building depth this season, and Matos now joins that group with a long-term contract in place.
It’s a low-key but significant marker for a player Everton clearly see a future in, even if first-team involvement remains some way off.
Expect more detail on his pathway — loan interest, Under-21s minutes — to firm up over the coming months.
For updates on other ins and out at the club, follow our live transfer tracker.
Gary is editor for ReadEverton. He has many years experience of sports writing behind him after deciding (belatedly) that the world of accountancy wasn't for him. His work has been featured on (among many others) BBC Sport and The Metro. He has written on many sports, but considers himself an expert in football and F1. When not writing and editing he likes to go to the cinema and sip a lovely cold pint of Guinness (not always at the same time).
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