Everton have awarded U23's star Antony Evans a new contract, the club has confirmed.

What's the story?

The 19-year-old has been on a hot streak as of late, scoring a brace in a PL2 victory over Spurs in January and was made captain for the first time last week.

19-year-old Evans, who joined the academy at the age of nine, says he is determined to establish himself in the first team lineup.

He said: “This was a long way off when I was a kid,” Evans added. “I was just enjoying football at that point. Now we are at the business end and I need to try to establish myself."

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Will he fit in with the Everton first team?

Evans will be hoping that his passing style of play will endear him to Everton manager Sam Allardyce, after finding himself out of his element somewhat while on loan at Morecambe last season.

He said: “My loan spell was an eye-opener for me – League Two was different from what I am used to. I like to get the ball on the floor and play but it was not on the floor very much!"

Allardyce is playing a far more possession-friendly system than David Unsworth - the youngster's current youth coach - which is allowing defenders and midfielders to play their way out of defence.

That'll be music to the ears of the soon-to-be Everton academy graduate.