The Leeds United faithful were expecting Matthew Pennington to remain at Elland Road for the foreseeable future. Not many would have thought the 23-year-old wouldn’t return next season.
Leeds offered the Englishman everything his parent club, Everton, didn’t. Game time. Competition. Assurance. He featured 24 times in just one year, compared to six since making his Toffees debut in August 2015. Everything seemed set for the centre-back to join Leeds on a permanent deal this summer.
However, Pennington turned his back on Leeds and instead opted to sign a three-year deal at Goodison Park. The 23-year-old, who has been at the Merseyside club since he was 11, faces fierce competition from senior internationals like Phil Jagielka and Michael Keane for a starting spot but he’s still decided to commit his future to Everton.
On his new deal, he said: “This is the club I have been at since I was a little boy and I am excited to extend my stay here. I’ve come back a better player, and more experienced player, I feel.”
Pennington joined Everton in 2005, progressing through the ranks to the first team in 2013. He would spend the next three years on loan at Tranmere Rovers, Coventry City and then Walsall before his move to West Yorkshire last summer.
Only time will tell if Pennington has made the right choice, but Leeds will be disappointed to have missed out on the youngster.