Baningime Pens New Everton Deal

Beni Baningime has signed a new four-year deal with Everton to the end of June 2022.

The 19-year-old midfield player has enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Blues, making his first-team debut in the Carabao Cup clash against Chelsea in October and going on to record 12 appearances to date.

The Academy graduate, who joined Everton aged eight after moving to England from the Democratic Republic of Congo, penned a new two-and-a-half-year contract in October 2017 having been instrumental in Everton Under-23s’ Premier League 2 title success last season.

After impressing manager Sam Allardyce and training regularly with the first-team squad, Baningime has now been rewarded with a new deal.

“I’m really happy to sign a new contract and so proud because it represents what I’ve always wanted – which is to be around the first team and fighting for my place,” said Baningime. “This Club means a lot to me because I’ve been here from a young age. It’s where I want to be and I’m so thankful to everyone at the Club who has helped me get to this point.

“Hopefully this season is the first of many years of me being involved in the Everton first team.

“I’m determined to keep developing and to speak to everyone I can in order to keep improving my game. I speak to the manager, Duncan [Ferguson], Craig Shakespeare, Sammy Lee – just anything I can do to improve my game. Duncan’s very good with me. Sometimes we do a bit of passing after we train. To me, this shows they’ve got faith in me and they want me to do well.”

The teenager, who captained the Blues’ Under-18s to Dallas Cup success in March 2016, acknowledged he draws inspiration from the likes of fellow Academy graduates Tom Davies and Jonjoe Kenny who have also been given first-team opportunities in recent seasons.