EPL

England number one Pickford signs new Everton contract

By Sports Desk February 24, 2023

Jordan Pickford has signed a new Everton contract, keeping him at Goodison Park until 2027.

Reports this week had suggested an agreement with Pickford was close and claimed there would be no relegation clause in the new deal.

Everton have won two of their first three Premier League matches under new manager Sean Dyche but remain firmly in a relegation battle, a point clear of the bottom three in 16th place.

However, that precarious position has not put off Pickford, whose four-and-a-half-year contract was announced on Friday.

Pickford told Everton's club media: "It's massive to sign this new contract at such a special club for me.

"The support I've had from everyone at the club since I joined as a 22-year-old has been so important to my family and me.

"I'm happy here and so are my family. We love it at Everton."

Pickford has been England's starting goalkeeper at their past three major tournaments – the first of those the 2018 World Cup.

That came at the end of Pickford's first season at Everton after joining from boyhood club Sunderland for £30million following their relegation.

Everton finished eighth in 2017-18 – one of three top-half finishes in Pickford's first four campaigns – but last season was a struggle as the club came 16th.

"Everton is a massive club," Pickford added. "The past few seasons have not been what we wanted.

"But we now have a manager who I believe will point us in the right direction and get us up the table. It's definitely my aim to be successful at this club."

Pickford was crucial to keeping Everton up last season, pulling off a string of brilliant saves in huge wins over Chelsea and Leicester City in May.

He carried that form into the new campaign, but he was unable to make the stops to ensure Frank Lampard survived a year in the job.

Based on Opta's xGOT model (expected goals on target), Pickford still has a positive goals prevented figure (1.8), which ranks him seventh in the league out of goalkeepers to have played at least one game.

England team-mate Nick Pope is ahead of him (2.9), while Liverpool's Alisson tops the charts with 9.8 goals prevented in the top flight this term.

Everton and Pickford welcome Aston Villa to Goodison Park on Saturday as Dyche aims to win a third straight home game.

Related items

  • Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure

    Ryan Sessegnon has resigned for Fulham on a free transfer, five years after leaving the club.

    The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Cottagers with the option to extend for a further year following his departure from Tottenham last month.

    In his first spell at the club, Sessegnon worked his way through the academy over 11 years, scoring 25 goals in 120 first-team appearances.

    He then moved to Spurs in a £25million deal in 2019, though struggled to nail down a place in North London, making just 57 appearances in all competitions, and scoring three goals.

    "It's amazing to be back. Emotional, as well," he told FFCtv. "It's where it started for me, where everything began, and it's amazing to be back.

    "It will always be home for me. I think it had the feeling that it was meant to be, coming back here, so I'm delighted to get it done."

    Sessegnon is Fulham's first signing of the transfer window, though they have seen plenty of first-team departures already, with Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid all leaving the club.

  • Lindstrom joins Everton on loan from Napoli Lindstrom joins Everton on loan from Napoli

    Everton have completed the loan signing of Jesper Lindstrom from Napoli, the club confirmed on Friday. 

    Lindstrom will join the Toffees for the 2024-25 season with the deal including an option to make the move permanent at the end of the campaign.

    The 24-year-old becomes the fourth addition at Goodison Park following the arrivals of Tim Iroegbunam, Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Harrison. 

    Lindstrom arrives after a difficult season with Napoli, playing just 416 minutes in 22 league appearances for the Serie A side. 

    The Denmark international arrived in Naples from Eintracht Frankfurt where he scored 14 goals in 80 appearances, helping the German side lift the Europa League in the 2021-22 season. 

    “I feel very good. It’s amazing to represent Everton," Lindstrom said in his first interview with the club. 

    "This is a big club, with big history, a good stadium and, as I’ve seen, very good facilities as well. I’m very, very happy to be here and I feel like this is a good fit.

    “I actually heard of Everton’s interest a while ago – not only from now but previously. England is very similar to Denmark so I will feel at home quickly.

    “I’ve spoken to the manager. It sounds as though he likes the way I play football and I can be a good fit for the team with my speed, so now I want to deliver."

    The search for another attacking option out wide had been the priority at Everton, having seen Arnaut Danjuma return to Villarreal following the completion of his loan deal, and the sale of Lewis Dobbin to Aston Villa.

    Everton managed 40 goals last season, the second worst in the Premier League ahead of Sheffield United (35), and Dyche believes Lindstrom has a lot to offer in the final third. 

    "Jesper is a player with very good ability who can operate in a number of different attacking roles, which will benefit us heading into the new season," said Dyche. 

    "He joins us with a range of different experiences. He is hungry and eager to succeed with us, and that's a strong starting point as we look to add more productivity to our attack."

  • Maguire labels England criticism 'ridiculous' following Euro 2024 display Maguire labels England criticism 'ridiculous' following Euro 2024 display

    Harry Maguire has defended his England team-mates after their performance at Euro 2024, labelling the criticism as "a bit ridiculous".

    England reached back-to-back European Championship finals but suffered the same outcome in Berlin as they did at Wembley three years ago.

    The defeat against Spain saw Gareth Southgate become the first head coach in the history of the tournament to end up on the losing side in two finals. 

    Southgate called time on his eight-year tenure in charge of the Three Lions two days after the tournament ended, winning 59.8% of his 102 games in charge. 

    Despite this, underwhelming performances in Germany saw cups thrown towards the former England head coach as supporters jeered the players.

    Southgate came under fire for his defensive approach, though only Walter Winterbottom (383) and Alf Ramsey (224) have overseen more England goals than his 213.

    However, Maguire has come to the defence of his team-mates. 

    “Yes, performances might not have been amazing but it is tournament football," Maguire told BBC Sport. 

    "It is not as expansive. There are far less risks taken. You can’t afford to make mistakes or get caught going out in a full press. You saw throughout the tournament there were not many high-scoring wins.

    “I just don’t know what the media or fans expected of this team. Was it to go and beat Serbia 4-0 in the first game and then beat Denmark 3-0? Did they think it was just going to be a walk in the park?”

    Under Southgate's stewardship, England reached more major tournament finals in four attempts (two) than they did in their first 23 appearances at the World Cup and Euros (one).

    Maguire played 63 times during Southgate's time in charge, a total only bettered by Harry Kane (81), Kyle Walker (70), Jordan Pickford and John Stones (both 68). 

    Maguire was forced to miss the tournament having picked up an injury in May, forcing him to miss Manchester United's FA Cup success against Manchester City. 

    Euro 2024 was the first major tournament he has missed during his international career, having become a mainstay in central defence alongside Stones. 

    Maguire's 17 appearances at major tournaments saw him keep seven clean sheets, but he insisted that missing out on Euro 2024 was difficult for him to comprehend. 

    "To miss out was tough," said Maguire.

    “It has been really frustrating, working all season to get myself mentally and physically at the top of my game and be in a position to feel I could really make a difference for Manchester United and my country."

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.