Everton must resist all bids for £30m player, he could be key to survival again this season

Everton must resist all bids for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford this summer, with the 29-year-old key to the club’s survival.

Pickford, who joined the Blues in a £30m deal back in 2017, has been integral to securing Everton’s Premier League status for two consecutive seasons now, and it seems it will be a tightrope walk for the foreseeable.

Sean Dyche has a big rebuilding job this summer, with serious investment required throughout the squad, most notably in attack and defence.

Indeed, it remains to be seen what kind of transfer kitty the Everton boss will have, and the club could be forced to sell in order to buy.

With few valuable assets to speak of, Jordan Pickford would earn Everton a substantial amount of cash to reinvest, but for me he is the one asset that must remain at Everton.

Manchester United have reportedly registered their interest in the England international and are preparing a £45m bid for his signature.

However, the club must reject any offer made for the 29-year-old, who himself insists that he is happy to remain Everton’s no.1.

A renewed contract exemplified the goalkeeper’s commitment to the club, with his extended deal keeping him at Everton until 2027.

Pickford sale would send spiralling Everton into further chaos

Of course, few players are irreplaceable, but I cannot see Everton recruiting a ‘keeper as consistent as Pickford has been for us in recent seasons.

For the third time in six years, the England international won Everton’s Men’s Player of the Season award for the 2022/23, as if to further demonstrate his significance to the club.

His performances throughout the 2021/22 campaign were crucial to Everton remaining in the Premier League, with his tremendous double save in the 1-0 win over Chelsea perhaps the best I have seen at Goodison Park.

His displays once again last season were equally as vital, notably saving James Maddison’s penalty in the 2-2 draw at the King Power Stadium back in May. No doubt, if Everton lose that game, the season could have ended very differently.

A fantastic save in the final day relegation decider against Bournemouth with a matter of minutes remaining was just as important as Abdoulaye Doucoure’s winning goal, surviving as we did by just one point.

Everton have an enormous summer ahead, both on and off the pitch, and losing such a key figure would be a disaster for a club in yet another state of flux.