Davy Klaassen's Premier League dream has turned into a nightmare at Everton since his £24m arrival from Ajax last summer.
But he will hope he is on the road to a brighter future at Goodison Park after being handed a start for the Under 23s on Monday night.
The Dutch international played 70 minutes in the Premier League 2 win over Swansea, with Ramiro Funes Mori also making his return.
It was only his second competitive game since October, having failed to feature in a single minute of Premier League football since the 2-1 win over Bournemouth in September.