Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti says he expects right-back Jonjoe Kenny to return to the Toffees once his loan spell at Celtic ends.
The Hoops don’t have an option to buy the 23-year-old, with reports suggesting it may cost upwards of £10m to sign the defender on a permanent basis.
However, when asked about Kenny’s future, Ancelotti said it was simply the case that the fullback needed more game time and he felt a six-month spell with the Scottish champions would benefit the player’s development:
“We wanted to give the players the opportunity to have more minutes and improve their knowledge. They will be back in the summer and we’ll see how they’re going to play. They are players we have a lot of confidence in for the future.”
A lot will depend on how well the Englishman does during his time on loan. If he does perform, Celtic may well be tempted into making a bid, although any decisions on purchases may have to wait until a new manager is installed at the end of the season.
There is also the possibility that Kenny’s performances impress Ancelotti enough to warrant keeping him to play in Everton’s first team.
