Forest Green have swooped for Everton defender Reece Welch on a season-long loan.
Highly-rated at Goodison Park, the 19-year-old centre-back has been with the Toffees since the age of seven and has made two first-team appearances.
The 6’6” defender also has four caps for the England Under-20s side. Last October, Welch signed a new deal at Goodison Park, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2026.
After joining Rovers for the season, Welch said: “It’s great to be here. I wanted to get out on loan and get some experience. This is the next step I needed, and I can’t wait to show what I can do at Forest Green.
David Horseman commented: “This is one we’re really excited about. A big thank you to Everton for making it sure got done.
“Reece is a really physical centre-back with good mobility. He’s a lovely footballer. He arrives with good pedigree, and he’s highly rated at Everton. He will help us a lot this season.
Director of Football, Allan Steele, said: “I’ve known Reece for a while, and I’ve got no doubt that he’s going to be a great player for us this season.
“Everton have been great throughout this process, and we look forward to helping Reece in the next stage of his development.”
