Everton star Jordan Pickford is one of the very few players at Goodison Park they could sell in the summer for a significant fee, journalist Paul Brown has told GIVEMESPORT.
The 29-year-old goalkeeper has been arguably the most important player at the Merseyside club in recent years, but the Toffees may have to sell him in order to raise funds.
Everton news – Jordan Pickford
Pickford played a huge role in Everton’s survival in the Premier League season, making several crucial stops throughout the campaign – most notably in their 2-2 draw against Leicester City.
With multiple teams looking for a new goalkeeper, the Englishman has been linked with a wide variety of clubs. Most recently, it has been reported that Manchester United are interested in signing Pickford to compete with David De Gea for the number one spot, as per The Sun.
However, the players’ camp has since responded to those claims, saying: “Jordan is very happy at Everton and very settled with his young family.
“He loves the club and will remain at Everton until we are told otherwise. He is excited to get back for pre-season and help push Everton up the table.”
What did Paul Brown say about Jordan Pickford and Everton?
Brown revealed that, despite his obvious importance to the squad in recent seasons, Everton would find it difficult to reject a bid for Pickford if it was for a substantial fee.
Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, Brown said: “Pickford is again one of only sort of two or three players that Everton can sell really for a decent fee. So if a club was to come in with a big offer for him, it would be hard for Everton to turn it down.”
Why do Everton need to raise funds?
First and foremost, the club have overspent on players who have failed to make the expected impact in recent years. As a result, despite the Toffees flirting with relegation in the past two seasons, as recently as March 2022, Everton reportedly had the highest wage bill in the Premier League outside the ‘big six’, as per The Telegraph.
In addition to that, the Toffees are also in the process of constructing their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, which has placed a greater strain on the financial power of the club.
Therefore, if Everton were able to raise significant funds through the selling of Pickford, as well as removing his £100,000-a-week contract, as per Spotrac, from their wage bill, it would be a huge financial boost for the club – albeit with potentially negative consequences from a footballing perspective.