Given the current state of the squad, there isn't a lot Everton can do in terms of much needed loan moves for some of its younger players. If things remained as they are, the Toffees would not even be able to field a starting XI and a full bench without tapping into the academy.
And so, the idea of sending out anybody on loan feels like a fool's errand, and yet, reports are indicating that Everton are "very close" to sending striker Youssef Chermiti out to Stoke City, currently playing in the Championship, in order to secure the 21-year-old more playing time.
On the surface, this makes a lot of sense. The Portuguese striker has only seen the pitch for 311 minutes since his arrival on Merseyside in 2023 from Sporting CP, and he has barely over 1200 total professional minutes under his belt.
But he just turned 21 a few weeks ago and has shown flashes, so giving Chermiti a chance to shine in the Championship makes a lot of sense for the player.
Whether it will work for Everton with the squad being where it is at the moment remains to be seen. But let's assume for a moment that the club will secure the necessary signings to bolster the squad: who else could they send out for more match time on the current squad?
Other than Chermiti, here are three Everton players who could benefit from a loan.
RB Nathan Patterson
Two things that are difficult to believe regarding Nathan Patterson.
First, he's already been at Everton for four seasons.
Second, he still won't turn 25 until October.
The first is tough because of how little he's played in those four years, just 59 matches (35 starts) with 3347 minutes, most of which came during the first two seasons. Since the start of 2024, he's seen the pitch just 14 times with seven starts.
Some of that was due to injury and the constant manager churn at Everton, but a lot of it just comes down to Patterson being a player without a true position. He's not a true right back because he's not defensively sound enough, and Everton have never used a wing back system, where he'd be more likely to thrive.
And so finding the Scottish international somewhere to play this year where he can both find match time and potentially be used as a more attacking presence would be wise.
Everton aren't getting a return on the money they paid for him four years ago and with his contract due to expire in 2026, loaning him out to regain some value would be best for both parties, especially with Kenny Tete coming.
CM/CDM Tim Iroegbunam
Midfield is another place where numbers are thin at the moment, especially as the saga between the club and Idrissa Gana Gueye rages on.
Still, it's pretty clear that Tim Iroegbunam is another player who could due with a level change.
He played 18 matches in his first season at Everton, although I doubt the club anticipated they'd utilize him that much when he joined from Aston Villa in what was essentially a PSR-pleasing swap deal for Lewis Dobbin.
But an injury to loanee Orel Mangala thrust Iroegbunam into a larger role, albeit one that saw him get minimal game time when the season was said and done. In an ideal world, the young Englishman (he'll turn 22 next week) would go off on a loan, hone his craft, and come back with a skillset that matches his clear physical traits.
He's only got two more years, including 2025, on his contract, so a loan could also help Everton decide if he's worth a longer look or if he can be a player to sell on next summer.
Again, that will come down to numbers, as Iroegbunam and James Garner are the only signed midfielders on the team right now.
If Gana returns and two or three of the linked midfielders join, then Iroegbunam is an obvious loan candidate in 2025/26.
CM Harrison Armstrong
It is funny to consider this, but it's probably true that 18-year-old Harrison Armstrong is the most seasoned and professionally successful of this trio at this exact moment.
The youngster made his Everton first-team debut last season, and even played 67 minutes in the FA Cup match against Peterborough United before he went out on loan to Derby County in January, where he thrived in a central midfield role for the Championship side. He did this all as a 17-year-old.
Having just turned 18 in January, there are reports that Armstrong could have a chance to fight for a spot with Everton's first team, although how much of this has to do with the club's lack of depth at the position as opposed to his readiness remains to be seen.
If the option is there, Everton shouldn't rush Armstrong, who looks to be a future star, but instead find a top tier Championship side to loan him to and see if he can break into a side where the competition is stiffer than it was at Derby.
But unlike the other two options, if Armstrong proves he's ready for the Premier League, then he shouldn't be held back, although the loan still feels like the best way to go if the numbers work out for Everton.