Jordan Pickford considered for stunning Premier League switch
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s Everton future is in doubt, with the club yet to sign off on the new five-year contract he agreed before the World Cup.
Word of the delay has alerted the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea. No reason has been given as to why the deal has not yet been finalised by the Goodison Park hierarchy, despite the player being happy to commit.
This has led Premier League rivals to believe there could be a deal to be done for Pickford, who has 18 months to run on his current terms.
Toffees boss Frank Lampard has said he wants the 28-year-old to sign the new package as soon as possible. However, we understand the delay is at boardroom level, and not with the player. Sources have expressed surprise that the contract remains with the club’s owners, when a swift resolution had been expected before Pickford left for Qatar.
Pickford joined Everton in 2017 for a fee of £30million from Sunderland. He has since made 214 appearances for the Toffees and cemented his place as England’s No.1 keeper.
Lampard, whose own position is under threat after four straight defeats, said last week: ‘Jordan feels very happy being at this club, I don’t want to speak for him but that’s the impression I get from him.
‘I feel we can match his ambitions. We’re a huge club with a huge history and big ambition and he’s a big part of that. If Jordan feels like that, we can match each other’s ambitions and in terms of getting him to stay longer, I don’t see that as a problem.’
While the likelihood is that Pickford’s contract will be given the green light, it has not stopped other top-flight clubs asking to be kept abreast of the situation.
Spurs are looking for a long-term successor to Hugo Lloris, 36, while Chelsea have struggled to find a reliable stopper in recent seasons. Man United, meanwhile, have long been scouring the market for David de Gea’s replacement and Pickford’s Cheshire base is one box ticked.
United will be looking to raise transfer funds via the sale of goalkeeper Dean Henderson, currently on loan at Nottingham Forest.
