Matthew Pennington will return to Everton after suffering a season-ending injury at loan club Ipswich Town.
Pennington, 24, had been in impressive form for the Tractor Boys despite their position at the foot of the Championship table.
He had made 29 Championship appearances since joining on deadline day, scoring one goal.
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The centre-back - who can also operate on the right-side of defence - had missed the last three games through illness but suffered a training ground ankle injury this week to curtail his campaign early.
Ipswich resisted Derby County's attempts to sign Pennington in January after Frank Lampard identified the Warrington-born stopper as a target.
He has been named player of the month twice during his time at Portman Road and admitted in December the time could be right to settle at a club after several loan spells at Tranmere Rovers, Coventry, Walsall, Leeds United and Ipswich respectively.
"I’m 24 now and I’ve been out on loan five times, so I guess it’s getting to the time now where I need to find a club, settle down and kick on," he said.
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"It’s just up to me to keep performing and playing games then we’ll see what happens. I don’t know what’s happening with Everton.
"I’ve had a phone call or two from them but nothing more than that."
