Roberto Martinez brought Mason Holgate to Everton in 2015 for a fee the Daily Mail reported at the time was just £2 million.
He came from Barnsley, just like John Stones, and that article also compares him with the England international.
It could be argued that his career is in a better place than Stones’s right no, with the Manchester City man having struggled badly for form and fitness this season and Belgium boss Martinez raved about Holgate to i News.
He said: “He’s taken that responsibility. There was never a doubt he had that personality, that wonderful balance between being the first player who’s going to play the first pass and being able to defend with intensity.”
For all the millions Everton have spent in recent seasons, there’s a case for saying that a bargain £2 million signing has been their best player this term.
Perhaps there is a lesson for the club in that and Holgate has now made himself one of the players legendary boss Carlo Ancelotti will look to build around next season.
He even played in holding midfield under Duncan Ferguson, which is likely to have improved his understanding of the game and technical ability.
Now, Martinez, like the Everton faithful, will watch on with interest as he looks to push on to the next level.
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