Everton are preparing a formal proposal for Ethan Wheatley, with Manchester United now deciding whether to move on from a 20-year-old striker who has made only four first-team appearances. Three of those came in the Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign. It is the sort of move that tells you Everton want upside, but also that United are willing to listen.

United's view of Wheatley

Wheatley has not been around the senior set-up for long enough to look established. His last five recorded senior appearances produced only 45 minutes in total, which underlines how little first-team football he has had to work with so far.

That limited exposure is part of the debate. Fabrizio Romano said Everton are now lining up a move for Wheatley, while the Liverpool Echo reported that proposals are not yet at an advanced stage and would initially be intended to bolster the Blues’ academy. Both things can be true at once: there is a real move taking shape, but it is not close to being settled.

Wheatley has also had loan spells at Walsall, Northampton Town and Bradford City. He was part of Manchester United's English Youth League-winning Under-18 team, so this is not a case of a player arriving from nowhere. Even so, the jump from academy promise to senior output has not really happened yet.

Why Everton are interested

Everton finished 13th in the 2025 Premier League season with 49 points, and their last five league results were LLDDL. That is not a club in a position to be picky about value if the target is young, affordable and still open to development.

The interest in Wheatley fits that logic. He is a striker with only four senior appearances, not a finished article with a clear league record. Everton are looking at a player whose next step could be a useful one, but the evidence so far says they would be buying potential more than proven output. The question is whether that is smart business or simply too soon for both club and player.

The answer will depend on how far Everton are willing to push this and how United value keeping him in the building. Right now, the proposal is being prepared, not completed, and the move remains at an early stage.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →