Price for 23-yr-old has rocketed after Everton tabled £18m bid and signing was all but done - reports
By Harry Sykes
Everton will have to pay £30million to seal the signing of Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford this summer, according to a report.
The Times are one of many outlets to have strongly linked Ronald Koeman's side with pursuing Pickford during the forthcoming window but claim the relegated Premier League's valuation is set far higher than previously reported.
It is said that one of Sunderland's few assets "will cost around £30million", suggesting there is much to be done for Koeman to seal of his prime targets.
This was also backed the comments of Black Cats manager David Moyes on Friday, who claimed on Friday it would take a "really, really big offer" to land Pickford.
"I have heard some really derisory sort of figures getting mentioned, and it wouldn't be any of those figures, I can tell you that," Moyes said, as quoted by the BBC Sport website.
The high valuation for the Sunderland academy product comes after the Sun reported earlier this month that Everton were close to signing him for £17million.
Sky Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio then revealed on his personal website that the deal is almost done for the 23-year-old to move to Goodison Park this summer.
Di Marzio claims that Everton made Pickford a massive wages offer that triples his current salary after identifying him as the man they want as their No1 next season, while also tabling an £18million bid.
Sunderland face little hope of hanging on to the Englishman following their relegation from the Championship, even though he is from Wearside and a product of the club's academy.
Pickford has emerged as the outstanding young goalkeeper in English football during a campaign in which he has been promoted to the England senior squad and has emerged as a strong candidate for the 2018 World Cup squad.
He has started 28 of Sunderland's league matches and demonstrated his appetite for the big time after loan spells at Bradford, Preston, Carlisle, Darlington, Burton and Alfreton.
Everton have two senior goalkeepers on their payroll, Maarten Stekelenburg, who followed Koeman from Southampton last summer, and Joel Robles.
But neither has convinced this season and it has been widely reported that Koeman has made a reliable No1 one of his priorities this summer.
In other Everton transfer news, the club have agreed to sign up a centre-forward who is loved by Ronald Koeman.
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