Everton completed an incredible U-turn on Friday when they announced that Mathew Mallon had been offered a new deal having initially released the young defender.
The right-back had not turned out for the under-18s since February, after captaining the team on numerous occasions earlier in the season, and the choice was made to let him go before his scholarship ran out at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.
Mallon had a move to Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers lined-up for when he could officially sign on the dotted line in July and he took to Instagram in April to share his thanks for Everton for his time working his way through the academy ranks.
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The teenager enjoyed a great 2020/21 season having returned from two separate back problems that kept him out of action for a combined amount of around 16 months. That campaign saw him make his first step up to the under-23s with an impressive appearance from the bench against Arsenal, which saw him provide the assist for the Blues' goal in a 1-1 draw while playing as a right-midfielder.
That appearance came alongside his crucial involvements in Everton's strong run in the FA Youth Cup, sparking hope that Mallon might make the regular step up to U23s action over the course of the next campaign. However, that didn't happen.
Instead he played all of his games for Paul Tait's U18s, captaining them on five occasions, with his last appearance for the team coming in the FA Youth Cup defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in February.
Having saw any opportunities with the U23s stunted, that left Mallon with a decision to make earlier this year, and it seemed that both parties had agreed to go their separate ways. Multiple Championship clubs were interested in taking on the exciting 18-year-old but it seemed that Blackburn had won the race to bring him into their setup.
However, with a deal in place to be signed in July upon the expiry of his Everton contract, the new regime at Finch Farm saw fit to get back in touch with Mallon. Talks took place in April between his representatives and academy personnel - with the Blues' new director of football Kevin Thelwell understood to have played an important role.
Thelwell's appointment, along with sweeping changes that have been introduced across the academy in recent weeks and months, are understood to have been crucial in a changing attitude toward Mallon's future.
The ECHO understands the full-back is now set to sign a two-year professional contract with the Blues, with the option of a third year included, too. And the hope for the immediate future is that he can now make the progression in the U23s that was previously denied.
Kyle John remains at the club after Everton announced their retained list earlier this week, with the 21-year-old often taking the right-back spot in the side at U23 level. However, after signing a new two-year deal last summer, it's yet to be seen where his immediate future lies for the coming campaign.
If the man ahead of him is to leave in this window, either on loan or otherwise, then Mallon might expect to be the right-back for the new U23s manager, who will be announced before the new season gets underway. And having already impressed at that level in the past, Mallon will look to cement himself in that role as quickly as possible.
And, of course, that could lead to further progression in the future. First-team manager Frank Lampard has regularly included U23s stars in his senior training sessions since his arrival at Goodison Park and in all likelihood it will be no different over the course of the coming 2022-23 campaign.
The likes of Reece Welch, Lewis Dobbin, Tyler Onyango, Rhys Hughes, Stanley Mills, Isaac Price and more have seen their progression aided recently by their inclusion in those first-team training sessions, with some even making their senior debuts.
That might be a little while in the future yet for Mallon, who will be looking to put a disappointing campaign in terms of his progression behind him as quickly as possible from this point on.
Thelwell, meanwhile, is already making a difference at multiple levels of the club. Having watched the U23s on a regular basis at the end of last season, he'll be hoping that this particular decision pays off.
