Toffees chase Shels kid

Everton are raiding the League of Ireland for another starlet they hope can follow the lead of Seamus Coleman.

So impressed was Toffees boss Roberto Martinez with Shelbourne defender Ryan Robinson during a recent trial that negotiations on his purchase have reached an advanced stage.

Although they picked up a bargain on their last shopping trip to Ireland, in the shape of €80,000 buy Coleman from Sligo Rovers in 2009, Everton won’t get Robinson on the cheap.

Shelbourne boss Johnny McDonnell — who handed the 18-year-old his league debut against Waterford United last week — insists the Reds will secure a proper package for Robinson.

“Everton are chipping away with us on Ryan at the moment and we hope to get the deal over the line soon,” he said of the player just called into the Ireland U19 squad for next week’s Uefa elite stage qualifiers.

“The initial fee won’t make us millionaires but we’ll make sure it’s heavy on the end of it. It might be better for us to go for the add-ons and everything else.

“Ryan certainly has a big future in the game.

“Everton would have seen a rawness to him but he has a lot going for him. We’d have no problem allowing him to move on to a better level in England.”