Everton loan James Wallace to Shrewsbury Town
- Published
Wallace made his Everton debut in the Europa League in August 2009
Shrewsbury Town have signed promising teenage Everton midfielder James Wallace on a month's loan.
Wallace, 19, who played for England in the Under-20 World Cup last summer, made 14 appearances out on loan at struggling Stockport last season.
"It's a great opportunity to get games under my belt, and I'm excited," Wallace told BBC Radio Shropshire.
"I know League Two after my loan at Stockport, but I'm looking forward to trying it at the top end of the table."
Shrewsbury manager Graham Turner admits that this is not is first attempt to prise Wallace from Everton manager David Moyes, who spent three seasons at the Gay Meadow in the late 1980s.
"He's a player we've kept an eye on. We tried to take him before," said Turner. "But I know he's highly rated at Everton and David Moyes wanted him in the first team.
"He then went to Colombia with England in the summer, missed the start of the season, then had a couple of injuries, so Everton have decided it's a good chance for him to get match practice."
Liverpool-born Wallace joined the Everton Academy at the age of 13.
In August 2008, he was made a full-time scholar, almost immediately making his first team debut in a friendly with PSV Eindhoven.
His first competitive senior appearance came a year later in the Europa League in the Czech Republic against Sigma Olomouc, when he came on for the last 15 minutes.
He then underwent surgery on a double hernia problem and was sidelined until 2010 before returning to regular reserve team action and the occasional first team bench appearance.
Wallace had a month on loan at Bury last winter which was limited to just one game because of bad weather. But then, in February, he joined Stockport for another month, later extended to the end of the season, when he impressed in a struggling side who were eventually relegated.
"Shrewsbury is a great set-up with a fantastic ground," said Wallace. "I played here for the England Under-19s and also for Stockport - and I hope I can help a club that looks to be going places."