Report: No contract extension talks with veteran Everton player
Marten Stekelenburg’s time at Everton hasn’t exactly been spectacular. In fact, you could be forgiven for forgetting he was still at the club.
The 37-year-old was brought to the club by his countryman Ronald Koeman, and spent his first season vying with Joel Robles for the number one shirt.
However, the signing of Jordan Pickford from Sunderland a year later ended his chances of playing with any sort of regularity.
He is now set to be out of contract at the end of campaign, which would not normally be a cause for alarm.
Now, the Liverpool Echo report that no fresh discussions have taken place with the Dutch international over a new deal.
If Stekelenburg does leave the Toffees in the summer, then the burden will be on Jonas Lossl to return from his loan stint at Huddersfield Town to back-up Pickford.
It’s thought that the Dane’s decision to leave last month was a short-term one designed to secure his place at Euro 2020.
The club are said to want to have three first team ‘keepers, and so Stekelenburg’s departure would leave something of a hole at Goodison Park.
Should Stekelenburg be handed fresh terms?
This is an interesting question. You need a safe pair of hands behind your number one ‘keeper, and the Dutchman is certainly that.
However, with Pickford’s form fluctuating dramatically, it would perhaps be better if the club had a better quality number two who could replace the England international when he’s going through a bad patch.
Stekelenburg is not capable of doing that, clearly, and so the Toffees face the choice of sticking with what they have or attempting to sign an upgrade.
Their choice will be fascinating to witness, and will perhaps have as much to do with their faith (or lack thereof) in Pickford than anything else.
In other Everton news, David Unsworth has been speaking about his admiration for Carlo Ancelotti.