Kenyan Prospect Achieves Major Milestone After Signing Deal with Everton

Kenyan prospect Rodney Aduda has made a major step in his football development after earning promotion to Everton’s U18 and signing a scholarship deal with the Premier League club.

Aduda is among 11 new scholars who have been welcomed to the Everton Under-18 squad ahead of the 2026/27 season.

As described by the club, Aduda earned the deal after impressing his coaches in the U16 team before being promoted to the U18 side where he made seven appearances during the 2025-26 season.

The defensive midfielder joined Everton in 2024 and the latest step indicates the club’s faith in him as he stands a chance of making it to the second-string side and eventually the Premier League team if he keeps impressing in the coming years.

Aduda and his fellow scholars received words of encouragement from Everton legend Leighton Baines, a former U18 coach, who is now part of David Moyes’ first team coaching setup.

The 11 scholars, alongside the rest of the U18 squad, will work under new coach Matthew Taylor and have started pre-season as they await the release of the 2026/27 Premier League Under-18 fixtures.

Aduda becomes the third player of Kenyan heritage to come through the youth ranks at Everton, following in the footsteps of English-born midfielder Tyler Onyango, who has expressed a desire to play for Harambee Stars, and forward Ray Robert.

His new deal comes one week after Kenyan-born forward Emmanuel Ziro was among 15 players awarded scholarship contracts at Manchester United ahead of the 2026/27 season.