The Liverpool Echo’s head of sport David Prentice has recently discussed the future of the Toffees’ Irish defender Seamus Coleman.
Back in the January of 2009, the Merseyside outfit sealed the arrival of the right-back from Irish club Sligo Rovers for a paltry £63,000 (per Transfermarkt).
Since signing for Everton, the club’s captain has gone on to make 332 appearances for the Toffees, in which he has managed to bag 26 goals and provide 29 assists.
Having arrived for such a small fee, too, his market value has rocketed to a current level of £8.55m, having peaked during the 2015-16 season at a hefty £17.1m.
During a recent episode of the Liverpool Echo’s Royal Blue: The Everton FC Podcast, though, Prentice aired his thoughts on Coleman’s future with Everton.
He said: “We’ve talked about Seamus Coleman, wonderful servant though he’s been for so, so long now, [he] may be nearing the end.
“[He is] picking up injuries a bit more frequently now and maybe not quite capable of producing those prolonged periods of excellence that he did for a long time.
“So, we need a new right-back for the foreseeable future.”
TIF Thoughts on what David Prentice said about Seamus Coleman…
As can be seen in what the reporter had to say, he believes that the Irishman’s career with the Toffees may be winding down now due to persistent injury issues.
Do you think Everton need to look for a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman?
No, it's not necessary
Yes, I think we need to
Having been sidelined for seven of the Toffees’ 18 Premier League games so far this season, it is clear to see that injuries may be becoming a slight issue for Coleman.
His performances, too, have not been overly impressive as he has earned a 6.59/10 average rating over his 10 league appearances this term, making him Everton’s 12th-worst performer (per WhoScored).
With the Irishman’s current contract at Goodison Park set to run until the summer of 2022, it will be interesting to see what decision the Toffees make on Coleman in the summer after next.