Everton forward Tom Cannon now looks set to spend the 2023/24 season out on loan, with Championship side Preston North End interested.
Cannon spent the second half of last season at Deepdale and now could now reunite with Ryan Lowe and his side for another campaign.
That is according to the Northern Echo, who report that Cannon will likely join Preston on loan in favour of a permanent move to Sunderland.
The Black Cats had been linked with a move for Cannon this summer, though look set to miss out on the Everton forward, who impressed at Preston last season.
Indeed, the 20-year-old, who has ‘an eye for goal’, scored eight goals in 20 Championship games last season after joining PNE on loan during the January transfer window.
With Everton’s attacking options threadbare to say the least, it was thought that Cannon may get a chance to impress Sean Dyche during pre-season, with a view to him playing a role within the senior squad this coming season.
However, a full season out on loan makes sense for the young forward’s development, and ideally, he returns to Goodison Park next summer ready to make the step up.
With or without Tom Cannon available for Sean Dyche, Everton must sign more forwards
Should Cannon make the temporary move to Deepdale though, it will only intensify Everton’s need to recruit heavily and well upfront.
With Ellis Simms completing a £3.5m move to Coventry City and both Neal Maupay and Demarai Gray linked with summer departures, the Blues can ill-afford to lose another attacker without first securing a replacement.
Arnaut Danjuma joined the club on a season-long loan from Villarreal last week, and Everton are heavily linked with Almeria attacker El Bilal Toure, though a proper No. 9 must be a priority.
There is no doubt of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s quality when fit, but Everton cannot go into another season with the England forward as our only out-and-out centre-forward.