Fleetwood Town complete loan signing of Everton youngster

Connolly in action for Lincoln City against Blackpool in September.

The 22-year-old will bolster Town’s backline following the departures of Peter Clarke to Tranmere Rovers and loanee Jimmy Dunne, who has returned to Burnley.

The Liverpudlian has come through the ranks at Goodison Park and this is his seventh loan move to an EFL club.

Last season he made 33 Championship appearances, first with Wigan Athletic (his second stint there) and then Bolton Wanderers, having played 34 times in the second tier for Ipswich Town in the previous campaign.

Connolly joined Lincoln City on a season-long loan last summer and started in their 2-0 win over Fleetwood in August. He has gone on to make 15 appearances for the Red Imps but has not featured since mid-November.

He will add much-needed depth for Town boss Joey Barton, whose only other senior centre-halves are Ash Eastham and Harry Souttar, but Connolly can also play in midfield.

The new Cod Army man also has international experience as a member of the England U20 squad which won the World Cup in 2017. He then played for the U21 side which won the Toulon tournament in 2018.