OPINION
While most young talents may be given the chance to impress in the first team, goalkeepers face a serious battle to usurp senior mainstays and make their name at that level – and that will likely be the case next season.
Everton fans will be delighted to see Jordan Pickford in such dazzling form for England over in Russia this summer and they will be expecting the former Sunderland man to keep his displays at that top level when the new Premier League campaign kicks off in August.
As the firm number one choice between the sticks, the next in line knows they are unlikely to see much, if any, playing time, and while that is Maarten Stekelenburg right now, the baton may fall to Mateusz Hewelt if transfer rumours come true.
France Football claim that the 6’4″ (source: Transfermarkt) veteran stopper could be on his way to Ligue 1 with Lille, the French side’s sporting director Luis Campos said to be an admirer of his experience and quality.
If he does head out of Goodison Park, then it is 21-year-old Hewelt who is next in line – but with just a year left on his contract on Merseyside, he could be facing a 12 months which makes or breaks his future as the club.
Pickford will be near-impossible to usurp from the first team but the youngster will still be facing up against the England stopper in training, and should injury or suspension hit then it will be his responsibility to step into those big shoes.
It could be his chance to earn himself a new contract, but at the same time his lack of experience could see Marco Silva bring in another keeper and dash his hopes of ever making it in the senior squad.