Everton snapped up Joao Virginia from Arsenal this summer.
Everton Under-23’s boss David Unsworth has told the Liverpool Echo that new signing Joao Virginia was ‘absolutely outstanding’ in the 1-0 win over Leicester City on Monday.
The Toffees first team beat Southampton 2-1 at Goodison Park on Saturday, and it was the turn of the Under-23’s on Monday as they took on Leicester at home.
Everton’s side contained the likes of Brendan Galloway, Tyias Browning, Matthew Pennington, Joe Williams and Fraser Hornby, but it was Bassala Sambou who struck the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for Everton.
The win will have pleased the Everton setup, especially because new signing Joao Virginia was able to play his first 90 minutes for the club since signing from Arsenal earlier this month.
Whilst Everton enjoyed a late trolley dash by signing Bernard, Yerry Mina, Andre Gomes and Kurt Zouma on transfer deadline day, and big-money signing Richarlison has got off to a great, goalkeeper Virginia has become something of a forgotten signing already.
The Portuguese goalkeeper, 18, arrives with a strong billing having been a European champion with Portugal at Under-17 and Under-19 levels, and many Arsenal fans were left perplexed by the decision to sell him to Everton.
Virginia featured against Leicester as he looks to push Jordan Pickford and Maarten Stekelenburg, and his superb performance drew remarkable praise from Under-23 boss David Unsworth after the final whistle.
Unsworth has told the Liverpool Echo that Virginia was ‘absolutely outstanding’, and has already produced a standard he has never seen at Under-23 level, suggesting that Everton have made a great signing with the teenager based on Monday’s display.
“Outstanding, absolutely outstanding,” said Unsworth.“He’s a great lad, got great English, he’s commanding and what he’s done tonight is set a standard I’ve not seen at this level from a goalkeeper. That’s the standard we all must aspire to from a goalkeeping point of view and Alan (Kelly, u-23s goalkeeper coach) is delighted with him, as we all are.”
“He got a standing ovation from the team because his performance warranted that. It was an outstanding save (from Rubio), but it was also that he was so commanding from crosses and I’ve not seen it before, a performance like that from a goalkeeper at this level. If that’s the standard he’s bringing to the club then he’s going to be a great acquisition for us,” he added.
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