Former goalkeeper Shay Given believes that London club Chelsea would immediately sign Jordan Pickford, provided they receive a small nudge from the player himself.
The 32-year-old Englishman is entering his tenth season at Everton, having joined from Sunderland for £25 million in 2017.
His contract runs until June 2029, and he has already made 358 appearances, keeping 100 clean sheets for the club.
In an interview with BOYLE Sports, Given elaborated on the situation surrounding the star goalkeeper.
“Jordan Pickford has been with Everton for almost ten years, and for much of that time he has also been England's number one, breaking the record for most matches for England in World Cups. It’s strange that during this time we haven’t heard of other clubs making him offers,” the expert noted.
“Perhaps he’s just very comfortable at Everton. We obviously don’t know if there have been offers for Jordan over the years, but usually, in some summer periods, there’s a sort of goalkeeper carousel, similar to when we talk about manager transfers.”
“Jordan has been in the game for so long that you’d think he must be 34 or 35, but he’s only 32. I moved to Manchester City when I was 33, and generally, goalkeepers improve with age. He has many years left at the top, but perhaps Jordan is happy where he is. You’d think Chelsea would be on the phone tomorrow to seize the opportunity to sign him if he gave them any hope.”
“I’m really surprised we’re not seeing any links around him because some of the saves he’s making for Everton are simply phenomenal. I remember last season when he tipped the ball over the bar from a shot by Sandro Tonali at St James' Park; it was incredible, but he has that in his arsenal.”
“He’s a bit of what they call ‘Reliable Eddie’, and if you think I’m diminishing him by saying that, I’m not. I’m praising him.”
“When you have such a reliable goalkeeper, it’s a real plus, and he’s got true character. Some people say that sometimes it can go overboard, but it shows his passion, hunger, and desire for the team to succeed. It’s his will to win; you can’t train or teach that. He’s just like that, and I’m completely fine with it,” concluded Given.
Pickford himself remains loyal to his club, having previously commented on his relationship with the fans.
“Everton has been so good to me, and I’ve been so good to Everton; we have a great relationship. I love the supporters; we have a quality fan base. I have the best chant sung by Everton fans. It’s hard work to get a chant from Everton supporters, trust me,” the goalkeeper admitted.
