David James urges Everton ace Jordan Pickford to follow Aaron Ramsdale footsteps with Manchester United move
David James insists Jordan Pickford needs to move to a “top team”, and insisted Manchester United would be an ideal destination for the Everton goalkeeper.
Pickford is currently with the England squad in Qatar for the World Cup, and while he remains Gareth Southgate’s first-choice goalkeeper, he finds his starting spot under pressure from Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale.
Ramsdale made a £30million move to the Gunners from Sheffield United in 2021 [Sky Sports] and James believes Pickford would see a similar improvement in performances if he followed Ramsdale’s footsteps and quit Everton for a “top team”.
“I think Aaron Ramsdale has proven that the quality of the team around you will influence the quality of your performances. He’s a potential number-one for his country because he’s playing for a much better side,” James told GGRecon.
“Jordan Pickford, when he’s playing for England, plays how he would if he played for a big side in the Premier League. It’s a no-brainer for me.
“Why not Manchester United? Jordan Pickford plays for Everton and Manchester United are just down the road. If he went there, his off-field disruption would be minimal compared to whether he moved down to London.”
Not worth the risk
Pickford worked his way up to becoming England’s No.1 at Everton, and Southgate seems happy to choose Pickford in his starting lineup regardless of what club he plays for.
The 28-year-old has been a top performer for the Toffees, including an impressive campaign last season where he played a crucial part in the club avoiding relegation.
His performances for England have also been faultless and he can count himself extremely unlucky to have not gone down as a national hero last summer in the Euros after his penalty shootout heroics.
Moving to Manchester United would be a huge risk for Pickford’s career, both at club and national level. There’s no guarantee that he plays regular first-team football – the exact reason that saw Dean Henderson fall out of favour in the England setup.
His club and national career is going well and for as long as he is trusted by Southgate then there is no reason to risk a move away from Goodison Park.