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Everton will still ask for £50million for Jordan Pickford if they are relegated, who would leave despite his new contract, according to Graeme Bailey.
Tottenham are known to be interested in the England number one, with Hugo Lloris’ time in North London coming to an end, and Pickford will be on the table in the summer if Sean Dyche can’t keep the Toffees in the Premier League.
With Euro 2024 just around the corner 90min transfer journalist Bailey is confident that the Everton star will leave Goodison if the club go down even with the new contract signed on 24 February, but it will mean he won’t be cheap by any means.
Speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast for 90min on Tuesday (7 March, 29m 46s) Bailey said in answer to a possible Spurs move for Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez: “The goalkeeping situation is fascinating. There’s going to be a lot of goalkeepers who are available. From David Raya at Brentford to Jordan Pickford.
“He has just signed his new deal at Everton. If Everton go down he won’t be staying there. Everyone has to remember he’s got the EUROs to think about. Amazingly they are just over 12-months away, the final in Germany.
“He won’t be going to Germany if he’s in the Championship with Everton so he will be on the radar as well.
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“Emi Martinez, from my understanding really likes the sound of Tottenham [who] need a keeper. They are moving on from Hugo Lloris.
“They’ve been offered Andre Onana from Inter who will be available at a decent price. That’s the only problem with doing this internal Premier League business. They come with hefty price tags.
“Even if Pickford went down with Everton and was available you are still talking what? I think Everton would ask £50million for him, I do, with a new contract.
“It’s frightening, but that’s just Premier League prices.”
Danger
Pickford has quite clearly signalled his intent to remain with the club, but it is one thing sticking with Everton despite ongoing relegation battles, and another to actually go through it.
Many would have expected the England number one to hold out for a move to Spurs or Manchester United in the summer anyway before he committed to the Toffees, so it can’t be 100% ruled out that he stays.
But he, Dyche, and everyone else will be looking to avoid the matter even coming into play since selling the keeper will be the least of the club’s worries if they go down.
Gareth Southgate is a loyal coach and has had no hesitations about keeping Pickford as his number one while he is battling at the bottom of the Premier League, but in the Championship he likely would.
If the new deal were to net the club £50million in the event of going down then it would at least be a smart parting gift from Dave Harrison, who left for Manchester United at the end of last month.
But seven points since Dyche arrived has given the club hope, against the odds, of surviving once again despite a worrying lack of firepower up front, so believe has to remain that Pickford will be in the Everton goal as a Premier League operator again next season.