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Former Everton academy talent and graduate Victor Anichebe has been left impressed with the performance of one current U18 over the past couple of days.
The Toffees are blessed with an impressive group of academy players right now, with Jonathan Nsangou arguably the crown jewel right now. The 16-year-old was named in The Guardian’s Next Generation list and rightfully so, with 10 goals to his name already this season.
But Nsangou isn’t the only big talent currently looking to follow the example of Harrison Armstrong by making the leap from academy to first-team, with Victor Anichebe impressed by one youngster in particular.
Who has been Everton’s most successful academy graduate in the Premier League era? You can't say Wayne Rooney 🤔
Osman was so good for so many years. The core of the best Everton side in the Prem era
Rooney is most successful, but not for us. Barkley our most talented beyond Rooney. Osman most impactful for us as a club
Has to be Osman or Hibbert, just for impact over such a long duration of time. Don’t see that much these days, if at all
Malik Olayiwola praised by Victor Anichebe
Over the weekend, Everton’s U18 side beat Bournemouth 6-3, in which Nsangou actually notched up three goals and an assist. But his teammate, Malik Olayiwola, was almost just as impressive as he managed to grab a hat-trick of assists
The number 10 went below the radar, but it was a brilliant performance and one that has earned him the compliments of former Everton forward Anichebe.
Everton’s Academy X account posted the message, with Anichebe commenting praise for Olayiwola. “Malik Olayiwola different”, Anichebe wrote with a flame emoji afterwards, highlighting how impressed he was.
Olayiwola is a 17-year-old midfielder who is capped by England at an U17 level currently. He also made the bench for Everton’s first team this season in the EFL Cup against Wolves, but failed to get any minutes under his belt.
He is among the finest talents Finch Farm has to offer right now, showing superb ability for the U18s and U21s this season already. Olayiwola has been banging on the door of the first-team squad this season, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him get some opportunities when fixtures start piling up in the coming weeks and months.