‘Not a lot of money’ – Shilton delivers verdict on reported Everton deal for 23-year-old
By Danny Wright
Legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton thinks that the £30million fee that Everton are reported to have had accepted by Sunderland for Jordan Pickford is “not a lot of money”.
The 67-year-old sees the goalkeeping position as one of the most important on the pitch and thinks that the Sunderland star is worth every penny that the Toffees are willing to splash.
The Sun reported on Wednesday that Pickford is set for a medical with Everton after terms were agreed for a £30million switch, which would make him the most expensive British goalkeeper of all time.
And now, Shilton thinks that the Merseysiders will be getting value for money with the deal.
“This sort of money should be spent on goalkeepers,” he said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“For someone like Jordan, who is young and has great potential, it does not seem a great fee.
“In the big scheme of things it is not a lot of money, considering how important the goalkeeping position is.
“It is second to a striker who scores 20 goals a season. You cannot have a really good side without a good goalkeeper.”
Although Pickford had a brilliant 2016/17 season with Sunderland, he was unable to help them from slumping to relegation following a 20th placed Premier League.
Things would have no doubt been worse for David Moyes’ men without the heroics of the English youth international, who made 33 appearances across all competitions and kept five clean sheets for the Wearsiders.
Ronald Koeman has struggled to find a consistent No 1 choice between the sticks in his debut year on Merseyside.
Maarten Stekelenburg and Joel Robles have both traded places in the managers’ first team plans, but that indecision looks like it could end with the arrival of Pickford.
In other Everton news, Neville Southall has also had his say on the potential arrival of Pickford.
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