K.M.S.K. Deinze Close To Agreement With Premier League Talent

Everton defender Reece Welch looks set to join Belgian second-tier side KMSK Deinze, despite previous interest from Reading, Leyton Orient, and Bradford City.

According to Football Insider, the 20-year-old is close to completing his move to Deinze after a deal with the English clubs failed to materialise before the transfer window closed last Friday. Deinze, who play in the Challenger Pro League, are currently enjoying a strong start to the season and have ambitions of securing their first-ever promotion to the top flight.

The East Flanders club, based in the 7,500-capacity Dakota Arena, are managed by former OH Leuven assistant Hans Somers, who had a modest playing career as a midfielder with Utrecht and Trabzonspor. With Welch now undergoing a medical, Deinze look set to add another promising talent to their squad as they continue their promotion push. The team were top of the amateur league when COVID killed football in 2019/20, and have since played in the Challenger Pro League.

Welch has been with Everton since the age of seven and has steadily progressed through their youth system. He made his senior debut in the FA Cup in 2022 before spending last season on loan at Forest Green Rovers, where he made 23 appearances. They hold high hopes for Reece Welch, believing that a loan move this summer will be a crucial step in the development of the England Under-20 international.

However, Jake O’Brien’s arrival from Lyon during the off-season has pushed Welch further down the pecking order at Goodison Park, prompting the club to seek a temporary move for the young defender to gain valuable first-team experience.

Site Opinion

Welch will not be the only English player in the Challenger Pro League – Ademola Ola-Adebomi is currently with SK Beveren, on loan from Crystal Palace. It’s proof that despite being seen as a ‘minor division’ by many fans in England, it is actually a good place for a young player to learn. Adjusting to a new culture takes a degree of emotional intelligence, and it tests their ability to adjust and develop.

Welch is valued highly on Merseyside, and this loan could be a precursor to stepping into the Championship in 12 months’ time. Deinze look likely to be involved in a tussle at the top of the table, providing the Huddersfield-born defender with a great environment to develop and, hopefully, thrive.