Leeds Secure Signing of Talented Everton Defender Matthew Pennington on Season-Long Loan Deal
Leeds United have bolstered their defensive ranks with the loan signing of talented Everton starlet Matthew Pennington.
The centre-back arrives on a season-long loan from Goodison Park, and the Whites made the official announcement, via their Twitter account on Wednesday.
Pennington will give new Leeds boss Thomas Christiansen a much needed boost in the centre of defence with the club desperate for reinforcements in that position.
Pontus Jansson and Lee Cooper were the club's only senior centre-half after Giuseppe Bellusci's contract was torn up after an ill-fated three-year spell at Elland Road, and the defender and Leeds are both set to benefit from his arrival.
The 22-year-old has made nine first-team appearances for Everton since his senior bow in Roberto Martinez's final few months as Toffees manager, and even netted his first ever Blues goal with the equaliser in April's 3-1 Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.
However, with the arrival of Michael Keane for £25m from Burnley, any first-team opportunities for Pennington this season would be reduced, and Leeds opted to make the most of such an opportunity by securing him for the 2017/18 season.
Despite his tender years, Pennington is no stranger to life in the leagues outside of the Premier League. The England Under-19 international enjoyed a five-month loan stint at Tranmere Rovers during the 2013/14 campaign - racking up 17 appearances in all competitions and bagging himself two goals.
Pennington followed that brief move to Prenton Park up with a seven-month loan move to Coventry City, where the Warrington-born footballer amassed 25 appearances for the Midlands outfit.
Walsall were the next beneficiaries of Pennington's services in March 2016, but he was recalled just one month and five games into his two-month temporary transfer as Martinez required cover at centre-half.
Pennington could now be in line for his first Leeds appearance in Thursday's friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach in Austria.
