It does appear that Everton could be in line for something of a mass exodus this summer, with a host of first-team players currently coming towards the end of their existing deals at Goodison Park.
Among those who could potentially depart on a free transfer is long-serving midfielder, Tom Davies, with the 24-year-old having become something of a peripheral figure at the club of late after initially rising up through the youth ranks.
While there have been claims that the Englishman could be offered an extension, The Athletic's Greg O'Keeffe revealed that the Liverpool-born dud may opt to refuse any potential new deal, having started just four Premier League games this season.
The 5 foot 11 man – who was the subject of interest from Glasgow Rangers back in January – had endured an injury-hit 2021/22 campaign after making just six top-flight appearances, with it perhaps time the £25k-per-week warrior seeks to revive his career elsewhere.
Manager Sean Dyche will still likely need to acquire a replacement for the former England U21 international, however, due to the lack of real depth in the centre of the park, albeit with it yet to be seen what budget the former Burnley boss will have amid the club's financial woes.
With that in mind, the 51-year-old may be better served turning to the academy set-up in order to find a successor to the departing Davies, with 18-year-old Jenson Metcalfe seemingly one such gem who could be a potential midfield star of the future.
Who is Jenson Metcalfe?
The teenager – who signed a new four-year deal with the Merseyside outfit back in September – is undoubtedly one of the most highly-rated assets that the club have on their books, having been hailed as a "good prospect" by journalist Patrick Boyland.
While the "talented" midfielder – as described by Boyland – has been limited to just six appearances at youth level this season after previously sustaining an ACL injury last year, the indication is that the Englishman could truly begin to thrive when back to full fitness.
The Wigan native has been with the Premier League side since joining at the age of five, with the club's official website hailing him as an 'energetic and technically-proficient central midfield player'.
Although the youngster is still waiting for a chance to shine in the first-team, the playmaker has previously scored four times and registered three assists in 31 games at U18 level, as well as making seven appearances for the U21s to date.
The promising gem has been earmarked as a player to keep an eye on in recent years after notably earning a place in the Guardian's Next Generation list in 2021, showcasing the top 20 young talents in the Premier League.
As journalist Andy Hunter noted at the time of that inclusion, the emerging starlet is a 'real competitor with an outstanding passing range', while going on to add that: 'Metcalfe can play off both feet, has impressive technical ability and is a dead-ball specialist. He can also score a variety of goals and intercepts or regains possession with fierce intensity.'
Those traits would likely be appealing to Dyche, with Metcalfe also describing himself as a "tempo-setter" as well as revealing his admiration for Spain and Barcelona icon, Sergio Busquets, due to the latter man being "so relaxed on the ball".
Evidently a player who likes to dictate proceedings but is also not afraid to shirk a challenge and get involved in an attacking sense, the £510-per-week sensation could well make Everton supporters forget all about that man Davies.