Everton academy ace is now a hat-trick hero for his country

Everton will be looking forward to getting back to business in the Premier League very shortly, with green shoots starting to appear for the Toffees in the top-flight before all action was paused for the international break.

Sean Dyche‘s men are unbeaten in their last three games in the often unforgiving division, which included a priceless win being picked up against Crystal Palace to start their October off on the best possible footing, with the Merseysiders wanting to go to Ipswich Town up next and record another early season victory.

Whilst Dyche will be happy with the turnaround happening at Goodison Park, and the fact his once dejected group look to have put a dire start to the campaign behind them now, he will worry that this former player will come back to bite them even more down the line after an unbelievable display for his nation during the break.

Isaac Price’s performance vs Bulgaria

The player in question is former Everton youth product Isaac Price, who failed to really hit the ground running in the senior ranks at the Toffees when still on the books of the Premier League side.

Price would only go on to make three first team appearances for the Merseysiders after rising up the ranks, before then moving on to pastures new with Standard Liege for a compensation fee of just £400k, a move which could now fill the top-flight titans up with regret based on the 21-year-old’s electric showing for Northern Ireland versus Bulgaria.

Michael O’Neill’s nation boast a lot of top young talent now, with the likes of Shea Charles and Conor Bradley sticking out in that conversation, alongside Price now after he ripped Bulgaria to shreds with a hat-trick in Nations League action.

Now Northern Ireland’s youngest ever hat-trick scorer in history off the back of this golden performance, the ex-Everton man was a constant thorn in the side all night for the Bulgarian defence to attempt to contain, causing havoc from one of the attacking midfield positions for his overjoyed country.

Lethal in-front of goal by burying three of the four shots that came his way in the one-sided affair, Price is now onto five international goals from 16 senior caps, as his nation bask in the glory of uncovering another top young gem.

Whilst those with allegiances to Northern Ireland will continue to sing his praises, as long as these top performances keep coming, those back at Goodison Park will rue their decision to offload Price who could be playing a minor role for the Premier League side currently.

What Price could offer Everton

There will be a feeling in the air at the Premier League outfit of what could have been with the youngster if more regular senior opportunities were gifted to him.

The exciting talent could have offered the Toffees some extra versatility in the middle of the park if he was still present on their roster, with Price playing more as a conservative midfield option when developing and growing at Finch Farm lining up for the U23s, as opposed to playing further up the pitch as a goalscoring menace.

He unfortunately would never make the cut for his boyhood employers, despite putting in some promising numbers above, and one of his former youth coaches at Everton in David Unsworth even labelling him as a player who’s “got a bit of everything“.

Still, Price won’t begrudge his ex-club too much, with the Pontefract-born starlet content playing out in Belgium currently, as his increased gametime with Liege has resulted in many great nights occurring playing for his country.

Whilst Price aims to keep up his stellar form for both club and country, Everton will have all of their attention focussed on picking up a positive result away at the Tractor Boys this coming weekend.

Related

Dyche can unearth Everton’s next Gordon in “impressive” academy sensation

Everton could have their next Anthony Gordon in the making in this Toffees youth player.