Everton have joined the race to sign Hamilton Academical striker Ryan One this summer, according to reports.
Who is Ryan One?
One is an academy graduate at the Fountain of Youth Stadium who worked his way up through the various youth managers to be promoted to the first team last summer, where he has made a total of 28 appearances so far.
However, the 16-year-old was out of contract at the end of last month and has yet to be offered the chance to extend his stay at John Rankin’s side, meaning he looks set to leave as a free agent and will be in the market for absolutely nothing.
The Scottish Championship have also recently been relegated to the third tier north of the border so the teenager can hope to find a new club at a higher level to test himself and develop his career, and it’s fair to say he has plenty of admirers who are queuing up to secure his services.
Buying Everton One?
According to TEAMtalk, Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford and Bournemouth are all keen to bring One to the Premier League. The Toffees and Sean Dyche are “checking” the forward and have been “monitoring” him for “most of the season”.
Scottish Premier League rivals Celtic and Glasgow Rangers were “keeping an eye” on the talented prospect, but it is believed a move to England’s top flight would be “difficult for him to turn down”.
Could One be a good addition for Dyche?
Everton will know that One – who has made just 28 appearances (855 minutes) in his career – is certainly not a player who is ready to be considered for the first team, but with the promising signs he is showing, he would be an exciting signing for the club’s long-term future.
The £100-a-week Scotland U17 international has scored twice since being introduced to the senior fold and has already tasted success after winning the Scottish Challenge Cup in his debut campaign in 2022/23, so he will continue to have a eye to secure silverware as he enters the next stage of his development.
He also has the versatility to operate anywhere across the front line, including in his natural position as a center forward but also out wide on both the left and right flanks, which will undoubtedly be an attractive attribute to the hierarchy and is a useful trait to have in the build if he sometime became a regular under Dyche.
