Lewis Gibson was one of the jewels of Newcastle United's academy setup when he was lured away by Everton. The Magpies were powerless to prevent the teenage defender from leaving in the summer of 2017 in a deal worth up to £6m.
Gibson snubbed interest from Tottenham in favour of a switch to Merseyside, outlining his hope of following the first-team pathway recently taken by the likes of Tom Davies and Jonjoe Kenny. Five years on, the now 21-year-old is yet to make his competitive senior debut with Everton and faces a career 'crossroads' with his contract due to expire this summer.
The former Newcastle prospect enjoyed an impressive debut campaign with the Toffees, and was briefly named the U23s captain at the age of just 17 by David Unsworth. However, injuries have stalled the centre-back's progress and loan spells at Fleetwood Town, Reading and current club Sheffield Wednesday have failed to deliver the desired regular first-team action.
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There is still plenty of time for Gibson to rediscover the trajectory which made him the subject of a multi-millon pound transfer tussle as a teenager. However, the defender is facing an uncertain summer and could be forced to assess his options should the Toffees decide to cut their losses.
Gibson rise to prominence came during Newcastle's run to the quarter-final stage of the FA Youth Cup during his final season in black-and-white. The defender's form earned him a place in the England U17s side which reached the final of the 2017 European Championships, and went one better at the World Cup later that year.
Former Newcastle under-23s captain Owen Bailey was Gibson's defensive partner during this cup run. The Gateshead midfielder has revealed how a physical transformation during the first-year of his scholarship led to his former team-mate evolving from a full-back into a commanding centre-back.
Bailey told ChronicleLive: "We saw a real change in him on the pitch, and he became a main part of our team in the Youth Cup. We had a good side, and Lewis was one of the main players we had.
"He was a talent, great to play alongside and really comfortable on the ball. He had a great left foot and wasn't scared to compete in the air.
"I remember one of the physios Steve Weir used to run the gym group after training, and Lewis was one of the lads who was always there. That's when he started to put a bit of size on, and fill into his body.
"That's when he took off, in a year he became a strong and tall centre-half. It was a career-changing move and one that he has definitely benefitted from. He'd probably agree that was the best thing he ever did."
However, despite this remarkable rise both with the Magpies and at international level, Bailey claims his centre-back partner was never handed a chance to impress in training with the first-team. It was this lack of a pathway which the former U23s' skipper believes proved so attractive with Everton's approach.
Bailey added: "From my selfish point of view, I wanted to see him stay because he was a good lad. I wanted to play with him for longer, he played for England and that was when it really changed for him.
"Everton mapped out a pathway for him to get into the first-team. I don't think he even trained with the first-team at Newcastle, and that was a massive draw for him."
Gibson's signature was seen as something of a coup for Everton, and the defender was rewarded with a new two-and-a-half year deal in January 2020. Having trained with the first-team under Carlo Ancelotti, the former Magpies prospect spent the second-half of the punctuated 2019/20 campaign with League One promotion chasers Fleetwood Town.
Gibson made 11 appearances and netted once as Joey Barton's side suffered a playoff semi-final defeat to Wycombe Wanderers following the premature points-per-game conclusion to the campaign. The defender's performances at Highbury Stadium earned him a Championship loan with Reading the following season.
However, injuries and inconsistent displays limited the loanee to just 13 appearances for the Royals. Jonathan Low, Reading reporter for Berkshire Live, said: "G ibson certainly didn't pull up any trees during his time here and he did have a few shaky performances, but overall he was a pretty reliable figure in the defence.
"He never really got a consistent run in the side, partly due to injury but mainly as he wasn't able to force his way past more established figures. At centre-back, Reading already had the likes of Liam Moore and Michael Morrison who were superb for the most part last season so he was never going to usurp them.
"And at left-back, Omar Richards, who is now at Bayern Munich, was a mainstay so he was always going to struggle for game time, hence why the signing was a slightly odd one at the time. I think overall I would say his spell was rather average, to be honest."
Gibson's struggles with Reading led to the defender stepping back into League One for the current campaign, this time with Sheffield Wednesday. However, the loanee suffered a muscle injury after just his second Owls' appearance in October, and returned to his parent club to aid his rehabilitation.
Gibson would be sidelined for more than four months, and has found opportunities in Darren Moore's starting eleven limited since making his return. Dom Howson, Sheffield Wednesday reporter for Yorkshire Live, said: "When Gibson has played, he has looked the part. But the issue is he has only played six times since joining Wednesday.
"If he had stayed clear of injury, I think Gibson would have played a big part in Wednesday's promotion push. It has just been one thing after another for him.
Everton's precarious Premier League predicament means Gibson's future has understandably not been the subject of speculation in recent weeks. Frank Lampard's side have dropped into the relegation zone, and face a daunting run of fixtures to finish the season.
The Toffees' defence has come under fire in recent months, but Gibson's path to the first team is blocked by the likes of Ben Godfrey, Mason Holgate, Michael Keane, Yerry Mina. Jarrad Branthwaite has been utilised as the fifth-choice option this term, while teenager Reece Welch was handed a senior debut in the FA Cup having impressed in the academy.
Will Rooney, Everton and Liverpool reporter for Liverpool World, said: "It's always disappointing when the Championship loan doesn't go right, and having to take a step back into League One. Now I suppose he's at a crossroads this summer as he will be out of contract, and Everton certainly have got decisions to make.
"Moore looked like the ideal coach for Gibson, he's just been unable to build any momentum whatsoever. I think all parties would be disappointed how it has worked out, it has come down to injuries rather than ability stopping him getting into the team."
Gibson's troubles over the previous two campaigns raises fair and inevitable questions over his future on Merseyside. However, Rooney points to Anthony Gordon as proof the development of young players rarely works in a 'straight line', with the winger proving a 'revelation' at Goodison Park having struggled to make an impact with Preston last season.
It is also a far from straightforward decision for both parties, with Everton's top-flight status still at risk and a need to balance the books. Rooney explained: "In the summer of 2019, Gibson was bigged up by Marcel Brands who said he was a player for the future of Everton.
"Brands isn't director of football anymore, and U23s manager Unsworth, who brought Gibson into the team and mentored him, is also leaving the club. Two key people are leaving, and you have the added factor of Branthwaite who was signed in January 2020.
"What's to say Gibson can't come back in pre-season and impress with a new manager in Lampard who we know is willing to give youth a chance if they're good enough. Another potential spanner in the works was Everton releasing Josh Bowler who is at Blackpool and has torn it up in the Championship, and there is rumours linking him with a move to the Premier League. Everton probably don't want to risk another Josh Bowler.
"At the end of the day, Everton need to be shrewd and savvy with their recruitment given their financial problems. It's one of them, do you get rid?
"Do you try and get compensation [by offering an improved contract], but instead he signs and you keep a player who might not play for a few couple of years? It's up to Gibson as well, he might just think he needs to start a new chapter at a Championship or League One club."
The respective situations at both Everton and Wednesday means the subject of Gibson's future will likely be put on hold until the end of the season. Injuries rather than performances have often proven the roadblock up until this point, but the once £6m-rated prospect could soon find himself having to step down the footballing pyramid in order to kickstart his career.
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