In news coming through from various sources, young Bury player Matty Foulds is officially an Everton player, a fact confirmed by Everton themselves via the club website.
Bradford-born Foulds, a 17-year-old defender, only signed professional terms with the Shakers this year but has long been a target for Everton. The Liverpool Echo confirmed that the deal had been struck as early as November 19 when “a deal was finalised between the two clubs.”
Foulds made two senior appearances for the Gigg Lane club, earning his senior debut as a second half substitute in a 4-1 Capital One Cup reversal at the hands of Leicester City in August before playing a full 90 minutes as Bury beat Accrington Stanley in the Football League Trophy the following month.
The Everton club website also mention that since the agreement was announced back in November, 17-year-old Foulds, a left-footed centreback-cum-full back, has played in trial games for the Toffeemen’s Under-18 and Under-21 sides – the Under-21 game being a full 90 minute run-out against Tottenham U-21s.
Spurs and Aston Villa were also said to have been chasing Foulds at the same time as Everton before the young defender ultimately decided that his future was on Merseyside. The Liverpool Echo report that Foulds will join Everton’s Academy and wil lhope that he can follow in the footsteps of Brendan Galloway and John Stones, two players who trod the Academy route before making the jump to first team level.
