“It was surprising, Monday late afternoon I think it was and I got the news I was getting called up and I just couldn't wait to join up with the group. I settled in quite well and the lads have taken to me quite well."

“It's a great experience for me. It was always my aim to get into the under-21s this season. I've got in the squad, but now my aim is to get into the starting eleven and stay in the squad.”

While one Everton player continues his climb up the international ranks, another has found his position under threat.

Marouane Fellaini future with Belgium is in the balance after his country’s disciplinarian coach Dick Advocaat questioned his attitude.

Advocaat and Fellaini had a major falling out during last month’s international break, when the midfielder missed the World Cup qualifier against Estonia to have a wisdom tooth removed.

Everton believed the pair had reached an agreement for Fellaini to play in Advocaat’s first game in charge against Turkey before having the operation.

However, the coach was furious with the player and instructed the Belgian FA to invoke the five-day rule to prevent Fellaini from playing in Everton’s next game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

FIFA refused the request, but Advocaat remains unhappy at the 21-year-old despite calling him up for tonight’s friendly against Hungary and Wednesday’s clash with Qatar in France.

“I still think it was very strange for him to make an appointment like that, and miss a World Cup game, because it was a very important week for Belgium,” he said “That is still clear in my mind, and I will remember it.

“Fellaini did not do a good thing for me. Sometimes, these things can happen in football, but, in my opinion, it was not appropriate conduct for a player with a national team.

“It seems to me that there are one or two players in the squad who place themselves above the rest, and I am working to put that right.”

Meanwhile, Everton will travel to Middlesbrough in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.

The date of the game is yet to be confirmed but ties must be played by December 12.

Former Everton winger Predrag 'Preki' Radosavljevic has parted company with Los Angeles-based MLS team Chivas USA by mutual consent, having been coach for the past two years.