Manchester United prodigy Tahith Chong has struggled for game time this season at Old Trafford in spite of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fielding five of the ten youngest sides in the Premier League this season.
The 20-year-old Dutchman has featured for just 24 league minutes for the Red Devils, both as a substitute, but his most memorable moment came via a horrifying miss in the Europa League defeat to Astana. With the midfielder out of contract in the summer he is not expected to extend his current deal and will likely leave in search of more first-team opportunities.
The two destinations which Chong had previously been linked with are Juventus and Inter Milan; however, international compatriot Nathangelo Markelo who is currently on Everton’s books has urged him to consider a switch to Goodison Park.
The pair have played together in the Netherlands youth setup between the ages of U19, and currently, both represent the U21 squad. Markelo took to Instagram in an attempt to persuade his compatriot to Merseyside replying to a picture of Chong at Manchester United’s warm-weather training camp with the message “come to Everton.”
Alongside joining up with Markelo, who has been a regular for David Unsworth’s U23 side, Chong should snub a move to Serie A as he is unlikely to be afforded more opportunities than he is currently getting. In total, he has started just four games for the Red Devils this season, who are eighth in the Premier League, all of which have been cup appearances. Meanwhile, Inter Milan and Juventus are competing for the scudetto and are two of the top sides in Serie A. Therefore, it is unlikely Chong will get the chance to develop amongst the first team.
On the other hand, Everton are rebuilding under Carlo Ancelotti, and Chong has the opportunity to make himself a part of that project. With an education from Manchester United and two of the top three sides in Italy touting the 20-year-old, they must see some promise in the Dutchman. Although if he cannot get himself amongst the starting eleven more often in Italy, he could see side’s lose faith in his abilities, meaning Everton is a safer route to kick-starting his career.
