Credit: Imago

Max Wilkins

Thu 19 March 2026 21:10, UK

Tom King may not have played for Everton this season, but he has still earned an international call-up with Wales.

The 31-year-old is the third-choice option in between the sticks for the Toffees, with Jordan Pickford and Mark Travers ahead of him in the pecking order.

That has seen the keeper fail to make a single competitive appearance for the Blues since making a move to Merseyside last summer.

His lack of minutes won’t come as a surprise after featuring once in two years at Wolves, but he has still earned a place in another Craig Bellamy national team squad.

King could now feature against Bosnia and Herzegovina in an all-important World Cup qualifier just days after Everton face Chelsea at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

What is Tom King’s contract situation at Everton?

The keeper has had a long career, playing for clubs ranging from Millwall to Salford City after becoming a professional in 2015.

His most recent spell as a regular came at Northampton Town, before he went on to join Wolves to play as a third-choice option.

He has replicated that with the Goodison club and is yet to make his debut despite his signing being announced in August 2025.

King penned a two-year deal after his switch from Molineux, so he looks set to remain in L4 until the summer of 2027.

Despite his lack of game time, the Welshman is reportedly paid a figure in the region of £15,000 per week, at a yearly salary of approximately £780,000.

That is a sizable amount for someone who hasn’t featured in a senior game since a one-minute showing in May 2025, but King has still secured a call-up to the Wales national team.

Why has King been called up by Wales?

It won’t have come as a surprise that King has taken a place in the latest Dragons squad, having become a regular member under Bellamy.

That faith from the head coach hasn’t translated into minutes, as he is yet to make more than one appearance for his country.

June 2024 marked his only showing on the international stage, with a substitute showing coming after replacing Adam Davies in a goalless draw away to Gibraltar.

It appears that the shot stopper plays a similar role for Wales as he does for Everton, with his presence seemingly being a positive in the dressing room and around the training ground.

That could eventually afford him a place at the 2026 World Cup, but only if Bellamy’s men can get through their qualifiers.