In a recent print edition, Sport has revealed that Everton are set to rival Aston Villa for the right to sign Valencia goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen this summer. It is understood that the Spanish side are open to selling him in this off-season which could open the door for the Toffees to seal a move for him (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness). Spanish news outlet Super Deporte also made a similar claim earlier this month when they stated that Carlo Ancelotti could offload Jordan Pickford to make room for Cillessen during this summer transfer period.
Cillessen Vs Pickford: Who Has Got The Edge?
The Nijmegen-born talent was a regular feature at the Mestalla Stadium in the previous campaign but struggled to find consistency as the primary goalkeeper of the Valencia squad. He made 30 appearances for the Spanish outfit last season, conceding 41 goals and securing six clean sheets in various competitions.
Cillessen managed to end the campaign with an average of 0.6 clearances and 5.6 long balls per game in La Liga, but could only complete 56.8% of his attempted passes in league football which highlights his shortcomings when distributing the ball out from the back (stats via whoscored).
Comparatively, Everton’s Jordan Pickford featured in 41 matches last season, shipping in 61 goals while earning 11 clean sheets on all fronts. The Toffees custodian averaged 0.6 clearances and 7.7 long balls per 90 minutes in the Premier League and was slightly better with his ball-distribution as evident from his pass success rate of 60.1% in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
It seems like Pickford has got the edge over Cillessen as far as stats are concerned. However, neither of them have a convincing record as they have struggled to give a good account of themselves over the past 12 months.
What Does Cillessen Offer On The Pitch?
When Cillessen is playing with confidence in goal, he can pull off a few crucial saves for his team using his quick reflexes and strong palms. He is a decent handler of the ball and is usually quite good with his positioning inside the six-yard box. However, the Dutch keeper is in dire need to improve his passing accuracy as he tends to give away the ball cheaply when interchanging possession with his teammates at the back. The Valencia custodian will also bring a winning mindset to Merseyside, having won several trophies during his time in Spain.
Is The Dutch Goalie An Ideal Replacement For Pickford?
All in all, Cillessen won’t be an ideal replacement for Pickford as he is not consistent enough to feature for Carlo Ancelotti’s side every week. However, if the Toffees are willing to sign him as a competition and not as a rival to their current number one keeper, then it makes sense for them to engineer a move to bring the Dutch keeper to Goodison Park this summer.
