Everton have broken the bank on their first transfer of the summer window, with a £30million being agreed for England Under-21 and Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Signing someone new in between the sticks
Manager Ronald Koeman looks to continue to shape The Toffees in his own image, with the goalkeeper position been one of the weak points of their side last season in the hands of Joel Robes and Maarten Stekelenburg.
Pickford was the bright point alongside Jermain Defoe in what was another disastrous campaign for the Black Cats, which saw them finally relegated to the second-tier but Pickford provided some heroics which saw him nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year.
Their initial bid was knocked back last week but a guaranteed £25m has believed to been accepted, with £5m in appearance related add-ons. Pickford is currently on international duty at the European Under-21 Championships in Poland, and will complete his medical upon his return to the country.
Bringing in the numbers
Pickford is expected to be the first of many faces that will be walking both through and out of the door at Goodison Park this summer, and it is rumoured they could unveil another signing before the end of the week.
It is believed that The Blues are in advanced talks with Dutch side Ajax over the signing of Davy Klaassen, the club skipper was a main player in the young side that reached the Europa League final having scored 16 goals.
He could prove the perfect fit for Koeman who is looking to bring in more goals from his team’s midfield, with the Dutch club reportedly holding out for £26m. The pursuit of both Klaassen and fellow target Gylfi Sigurðsson seems to spell the end of Ross Barkley’s future at the club.
The England youngster has been holding off on a new deal at Goodison Park for some time, with if the rumours are to be believed Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will continue their tug-of-war over the summer.