We are delighted to announce the signing of Reece Welch on a season-long loan from Everton.

Highly rated at Goodison Park, the 19-year-old centre-back has been with the Toffees since the age of seven and has made two first-team appearances.

The 6’6” defender also has four caps for the England Under-20s side. Last October, Welch signed a new deal at Goodison Park, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2026.

After joining Rovers for the season, Welch said: “It’s great to be here. I wanted to get out on loan and get some experience. This is the next step I needed, and I can’t wait to show what I can do at Forest Green.

David Horseman commented: “This is one we’re really excited about. A big thank you to Everton for making it sure got done.

“Reece is a really physical centre-back with good mobility. He’s a lovely footballer. He arrives with good pedigree, and he’s highly rated at Everton. He will help us a lot this season.

Director of Football, Allan Steele, said: "I’ve known Reece for a while, and I’ve got no doubt that he’s going to be a great player for us this season.

“Everton have been great throughout this process, and we look forward to helping Reece in the next stage of his development.”

If you’d like to sponsor Reece for the upcoming season, please email reception@fgr.co.uk.