Everton signed highly-rated Portuguese goalkeeper Joao Virginia from Arsenal and he has impressed David Unsworth.
Everton have one of the most promising young goalkeepers anywhere in world football between the sticks right now.
Jordan Pickford, at just 24, is already established as England’s number one and has been rewarded with a new six-year contract. But the former Sunderland stopper is not the only potentially world-class goalkeeper at Goodison Park.
Joao Virginia has certainly been turning heads with his performances for the Under 23s since he arrived on a three-year deal from Arsenal back in August.
The 18-year-old, who won the U19 European Championships with Portugal last month, has earned plenty of praise from Everton’s academy boss David Unsworth so far.
But Unsworth is not the only man who has been stunned by Virginia’s displays. According to the Liverpool Echo, the teenager was given a standing ovation from his Everton U23 teammates when returning to the dressing room after a remarkable performance against Leicester City recently.
“I was surprised, I was not expecting it to be fair, I just thought it was a normal game for me,” Virginia told the Liverpool Echo.
“They all clapped me when I came into the dressing room and it was a good moment for me.”
With only 36-year-old Maarten Stekelenburg providing back up to Pickford, there is certainly a chance for Virginia to be promoted up the pecking order if he continues to impress.
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