According to a recent report by the Sun, Everton are considering the sale of their English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for £50m during the summer transfer period. The same source also goes on to mention that the Toffees goalie’s availability will catch the attention of West Ham United as they would try to lure the England international to the London Stadium this summer.
Pickford’s Recent Struggles At Merseyside
Pickford has experienced an inconsistent season thus far following a series of blunders at the back. Most notably, his mistake against Liverpool which gifted Divock Origi a goal in the dying seconds of the Merseyside derby at Anfield had garnered a lot of criticism.
The Sun had also earlier reported that Pickford was involved in a brawl at a night club in Sunderland where he gave a bouncer a black eye. The English talent now faces disciplinary action from the Merseyside club, and his recent misdeeds could see him get shipped out of Goodison Park ahead of the new campaign.
Pickford Vs Fabianski: Who Had The Better Season?
The Hammers can benefit from acquiring a goalie of Pickford’s ilk. However, the real dilemma for them would be to decide on whether the Three Lions star would be an upgrade over their current number one keeper, Lukasz Fabianski.
Comparatively, Pickford is having a slightly better season than Fabianski in the Premier League so far. The English keeper has kept ten clean sheets and conceded 46 goals in 34 league appearances compared to the West Ham keeper’s five clean sheets and 48 goals conceded in 32 appearances. Even though the difference between the two keepers is negligible, the fact remains that Pickford has age on his side while Fabianski is set to turn 34 later this month.
Acquiring Pickford: Good Move For Pellegrini?
Hence, the 25-year-old Everton goalie could be an ideal long-term replacement for Fabianski and will bolster Manuel Pellegrini’s goal-keeping options significantly at the London Stadium. The Hammers need to be more solid defensively if they are to challenge for a top 6 finish next season.
Thus, acquiring a top-class keeper like Pickford could be a step in the right direction for them in the long-run. Pellegrini would be wise to do everything in his power to seal a move for the Toffees shot-stopper next summer.
