Niels Nkounkou has been promoted to Everton's senior squad.

The Liverpool Echo reports Everton are buying themselves time in their search for a new left-back to replace the retired Leighton Baines.

To help fill the void left by Baines until a replacement can be found, new signing Nkounkou will be part of the first-team set-up in the short-term.

The 19-year-old, signed from Marseille in July, is expected to spend most of the season playing for David Unsworth's under-23s side and the young left-back has been training with the Blues' second string since they returned to Finch Farm on August 3.

But Nkounkou will work under Carlo Ancelotti today as the Everton boss takes the opening session of the first-team's pre-season schedule and could be part of the squad that travels to Blackpool on Saturday for the opening friendly of the summer at Bloomfield Road.