Everton star QUITS club after becoming youngest captain in Toffees history during 14-year stay as he rejects new deal
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TOM DAVIES has left boyhood club Everton after turning down a new contract.
The midfielder played 179 games for the Toffees after joining their academy aged 11.
Davies, 24, was offered the opportunity to stay and fight for his place at Goodison Park.
But after starting just four Premier League games last season, the former England youth international has opted to move elsewhere in search of more regular game time.
Following Davies' decision, Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell said: "We respect his decision and thank him for his service and commitment.
"We offered Tom a new contract but he feels he has reached the stage in his career where he needs regular first-team football and, as a result, he wants to look at alternative options."
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Davies became Everton's youngest-ever captain in 2018, when he skippered his side in a League Cup clash with Rotherham aged just 20.
He went on to wear the armband on a further five occasions in the Premier League.
A Finch Farm academy product, Davies burst on to the scene at Everton as a teenager.
He made his Premier League debut under Roberto Martinez in April 2016, before being handed his first start in the Spaniard's final game in charge.
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Davies then found more game time under Martinez's successor Ronald Koeman, memorably announcing himself with a stunning solo goal during a 4-0 win over Manchester City in January 2017.
In addition to showing early promise at Goodison, Davies also earned plenty of accolades while playing for England Under-21s.
He was capped 23 times at U-21 level - representing the Three Lions at the Euro U-21 Championships two years ago.
Davies was linked with Rangers in January as the Scottish side's swoop for Todd Cantwell was progressing.
At the time, boss Michael Beale said: "And Tom Davies, he used to kick my Liverpool Under-23s team all around the place.
"There’s a bit of John Lundstram about him. But again, two really good players.
";Not confirming anything with those two. But there’s a lot of players we are speaking to at the moment."
