Arsenal, Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are all reported to be interested in the Sunderland shot-stopper.
Sunderland’s Jordan Pickford celebrates after the game
Jordan Pickford was helpless as Sunderland slumped to yet another Premier League defeat, this time losing 3-0 at home to Manchester United.
Along with Jermain Defoe, the goalkeeper is one of the very few positives for Sunderland in what has been a sorry season for the club.
With just three first team appearances to his name before 2016/17, the academy graduate has established himself as the undisputed number one at the Stadium of Light with performances that the Sun reports has Arsenal, Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United interested.
Pickford will need to leave Sunderland this summer to progress in his career, but what would be the best move?
Game time will be crucial for the 23-year-old’s development, which quickly rules out Spurs, who have Hugo Lloris, while competing with Petr Cech and David Ospina at the Emirates could prove a stretch too far.
West Bromwich Albion’s Salomon Rondon in action with Sunderland’s Jordan Pickford
On a lesser scale Pickford would have to compete with at least one of Adrian and Darren Randolph at West Ham, while Pep Guardiola is unlikely to place so much faith in a relative unknown – particularly in a position that has caused him such a headache this term.
That leaves Everton and it could be the perfect fit. The Toffees have a history of promoting young English talent, something manager Ronald Koeman has not shied away from with the likes of Tom Davies and Ademola Lookman getting plenty of game time this season.
Between the sticks neither the erratic Joel Robles or the aging Maarten Stekelenburg have convinced either and Sunderland’s Pickford could move quickly into the first choice slot.
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