Everton crumbling, but loanee Fraser Hornby continues to flourish in Belgium

Football FanCast

By Grant McQuillan

Published Oct 13, 2019

Everton striker Fraser Hornby is performing so well at KV Kortrijk, that he could be leaving the Merseyside outfit having second thoughts about loaning him out in a deal that could become permanent.

This article is part of Football FanCast's Loan Watch series, which takes a closer look at those players who are aiming to galvanise their careers away from the spotlight of their parent club.

Everton endured their fifth defeat of this Premier League season over the weekend, losing 1-0 to Burnley. This embarrassing defeat has now sent Marco Silva's squad into the relegation zone after just eight games.

The Toffees have endured poor performances across the field for most of this season, with the club now conceding 12 goals in these eight fixtures and scoring just six - the third-lowest in the league. Right now, it is just not happening for Everton's forward men, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, and Bernard the only players to hit the back of the net in the Premier League.

Elsewhere, the likes of Moise Kean, Cenk Tosun, and Theo Walcott have not even looked like scoring, with Kean averaging just 1.1 shots per game in the league since joining from Juventus.

However, one man with ties to the club has been comfortable in front of goal this season - loanee Fraser Hornby. The 20-year-old joined KV Kortrijk at the start of the season and has so far scored three times in four appearances for the Belgian top-flight side.

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The striker has also impressed with Scotland over the years, scoring six times in 10 outings for the U21s. The 6 foot 3 forward can play a variety of roles, similar to that of Richarlison. As demonstrated by Transfermarkt, Hornby has played in every role across the forward line, whilst also providing the capabilities to play as an attacking midfielder and a central midfielder.

In adding such versatility to the Toffees' academy sides, he has netted an impressive 16 goals in 20 appearances for the U18s, and then added a further eight to his resume in 33 outings for the U23s.

The times right now are worrying for the Merseyside club, with the forward man lacking goals at an alarming rate. But not just this, Kortrijk also have an option to buy Hornby at the end of the season, meaning Everton could lose a potential future attacking threat.

The English-born has proved his goalscoring ability along with his incredible versatility over the years, and attributes as such should never be overlooked. Throw into the mix that he is just 20, and perhaps the club have a future superstar on their hands.

Should Hornby return, he may not become a Goodison Park hero immediately. However, it almost goes without saying that whoever is in charge at Everton simply cannot let him leave in the club's current circumstances.