Everton will continue to develop Tyler Onyango 'with the ball' when he returns from a cruel ankle injury suffered while captaining the under-18s to FA Youth Cup victory over Manchester City last weekend.
Onyango was hacked down from behind by City midfielder Alex Robertson, who was later pictured apologising to Everton players for the challenge.
The 18-year-old is set for surgery in London this week to repair the ligament damage also suffered in the challenge before beginning the rehabilitation process.
And after making his first-team debut this season in the FA Cup win against Sheffield Wednesday in January - as well as working almost exclusively with the senior squad in training - Everton have identified the next 'big challenge' for Onyango.
U-18 manager Paul Tait - who has played an important role in the development of the starlet - admitted first-team staff are keen to progress his game while in possession when he returns.
Tait told the ECHO: "I always want more from Tyler with the ball, I think that is going to be his big challenge moving forward.
"You can see the ground he covers, his possession regains, but if you speak to the first-team staff, that's what they'll be working on with him.
"Receiving the ball on the half-turn, quickening his feet up, playing nice forward passes, keeping possession, dominating possession."
