Kenyan youngster signs first professional contract with Everton
.jpg)
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 23.10.25. | 08:54
A first-year scholar, Robert has continued to impress this season with the Under-18s, scoring two goals and providing two assists in five league appearances for the young Blues
Kenyan youngster and Everton Under-18s forward Ray Robert has signed his first professional contract with the English Premier League club, penning a three-year deal that will keep him at Goodison Park until June 2028.
Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More News
The 17-year-old forward made headlines earlier this year when he became the first-ever Everton player to score at the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium, converting a penalty against Wigan Athletic Under-18s during the venue’s maiden test event in February.
A first-year scholar, Robert has continued to impress this season with the Under-18s, scoring two goals and providing two assists in five league appearances for the young Blues.
This campaign marks his third season with the youth side, having made his debut in December 2023 at just 15 years old.
Robert joined the Everton Academy at the age of seven and has steadily risen through the ranks.
Speaking to evertonfc.com after signing his new deal, he described the moment as a dream come true.
“It’s a surreal moment for me and my family,” he said. “It’s what you dream about growing up as a kid to be a professional footballer at Everton, a massive club."
“I’ve improved a lot as a player, and I’m grateful to the coaches, staff, and everyone who has supported me since I joined at seven years old.”
Robert credited his rapid development to the experience of training and competing with older players over the past two seasons.
“Playing with older players improves you a lot because when you’re up against bigger and stronger players, you have to think faster and move the ball quicker,” he noted. “That experience really helped my game.”
His history-making goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium remains a standout moment in his young career.
“It was a really big moment for me,” he recalled. “To be the first Everton player to score at the new stadium was a great achievement. Going forward, I just want to keep improving and hopefully earn more opportunities to play there again.”
He scored twice in a 6-0 victory in the opening match of the pre-season Bermuda Cup.
He followed it with four goals in a 10-0 victory next time out, and opened the scoring in the semi-final of a tournament Everton went on to win comfortably.
While that tournament featured less advanced opponents, Robert then scored four times in five games as Everton U17s beat some of Europe’s top sides to retain the Geneva Cup in Switzerland.
Robert opened the scoring in the opening game against Benfica, which ended 2-2.
He then scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna in the semi-final and opened the scoring against Benfica in the final.
He has built on that pre-season with many fine performances for the U18s, where he has established himself alongside Cieran Loney as the side’s main attacking threat.
It may be some time before Evertonians get a chance to see Robert in first-team action.
At just 17, he will likely progress to the U21s in the next couple of years as he continues his rise through the ranks at the club.
Robert’s rise continues the growing presence of Kenyan talent within Everton’s youth setup, following in the footsteps of Tyler Onyango, who also came through the club’s academy and is currently on loan at Southport in England’s third tier.
.jpg)
