Everton are yet again struggling to retain their Premier League status this season and, with just seven games remaining to seal their fate, Sean Dyche is in a challenging position at Goodison Park.
The Toffees are only clear of the bottom three by the skin of their teeth with a better goal difference than Nottingham Forest, who match them for points but are currently in the drop zone, so taking points from their upcoming game at Selhurst Park will be essential following a difficult few weeks for form.
Indeed, there will unlikely to be much transfer planning taking place on the blue side of Merseyside until they know whether they will remain in the top flight or spend next season in the Championship, however, if Everton are going to improve there will need to be changes made no matter what.
It is no secret that, alongside their lack of stability in the Premier League, the Blues are suffering several monetary concerns with an investigation underway to delve into their alleged mismanaged finances over the last few years, which pending an outcome will likely affect Dyche's ability to splash the cash in the summer transfer window.
As a result, the former Burnley boss could look to the club's academy to find glowing talent that can be of use to the senior squad next term, adding vital depth to key positions on the pitch without the need to scour the market for bargains.
One player who has recently been offered the golden opportunity to develop a better understanding of how the senior team operates is Ishe Samuels-Smith, a talented left-back who was seen in the matchday squad against Fulham last weekend.
Who is Ishe Samuels-Smith?
Samuels-Smith has been rising through the ranks of the youth academy at Finch Farm since joining at U9 level and has also been part of the England youth system from U15s onwards.
Despite being only 16 years old, the defender has already been given several opportunities in the U18 and U21 teams, comfortably rising to the challenges of playing with teammates and opponents much older than him, which has ultimately led to his chance to impress Dyche too.
Over four appearances in the Football League Trophy campaign this season, Samuels-Smith was hugely impressive having successfully completed 60% of his dribbles and 77% of his passes.
Importantly, he was strong at the back, averaging 1.5 interceptions, two tackles and 3.5 duels won per game – despite only averaging 45 minutes per performance.
The Manchester-born full-back – who also plays as a centre-back for England – has not been short of praise for his talents either, with The Athletic's Patrick Boyland claiming that he is "definitely one to watch."
Boyland continued: "He was best in his group with Emilio Lawrence, who left the club over summer. They did well to keep hold of ISS over summer, because there was plenty of interest.
"Versatile – also plays full back – so will be interesting to see where he ends up position-wise."
Whilst the Merseysiders have acquired the services of Vitaliy Mykolenko and Ruben Vinagre on the left flank since the departure of Lucas Digne, neither have seemingly convinced the Everton boss since his arrival in January, so it could be a great opportunity for Samuels-Smith to become Digne's true heir by working hard to earn a spot in the starting XI soon.
With that being said, the future is looking bright for Samuels-Smith and if he can continue to impress Dyche in training, it will be no time at all before he is Everton's next breakthrough star at Goodison Park.