Chris Renshaw has become the first arrival of Ronald Koeman’s Everton tenure.
The former Oldham Athletic goalkeeper joins the Blues on a three-year deal and will work within the club’s academy ranks from the 2016-17 season.
Last season Renshaw was regularly utilised as understudy to first-choice stopper Joel Coleman at Boundary Park but it was the 18-year-old’s exploits for the League One club’s youth teams which caught the eye of Everton scouts.
“I’m really excited for the challenge,” he told Everton’s official website.
“I know about the record of how many players Everton have brought through the academy. That interested me a lot because there seems to be a serious pathway to the first team.
“Every time we played friendlies at Everton, I always used to say the training ground and facilities would make this an amazing club to be at.
“This is a step up but I’m looking forward to it. For me, this year is a development stage, so it’s about trying to get that regular football in the Under-21s.”