Everton have been splashing cash at players recently. 4 of their most expensive signings have arrived in 2017 and if we include 2016 as well, that number rises to 6. That is 12 months of activity in a 139 year history. The spend gets vindicated if we look at the 15 point difference between 7th placed Everton and 8th placed Southampton.

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This past season, the big 4 became the big 6. Everton are really pushing for it to become the big 7. But, more often than not they have ended up as the neither-here-nor-there club. It is About time they are spoken of alongside the likes of the Premier League bullies. Here we take a look at the club’s record signing, Jordan Pickford, and his suitability to Everton.

Pickford > Robles + Stekelenburg?

Everton have made Jordan Pickford the most expensive uncapped Englishman in the Premier League. If there was one player who came out of that Sunderland debacle with his head held high, it is him. Yes, they conceded 67 goals last season (third highest in the Premier League). But when people say it could have gotten messier, there is only one man that comes to the mind. Pickford has made a massive 135 saves, with an average of 4.7 saves per 90 minutes, tallying a save success rate of 75%. Pickford has also made 343 recoveries which equals what Robles and Stekelenburg did combined.

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How can Pickford contribute to Everton’s attacks?

Now coming to Pickford’s contributions to the other end of the pitch. Everton have played the second most long balls last season. And interestingly Pickford has played the most accurate long balls per 90 minutes (11.82) among goalkeepers last season. Seems like a match made in heaven. He has also played 4 key passes which is again is the highest among Premier League goalkeepers. His ICT (an FPL provided index for influence, creativity, and threat) index of 96 is the second only to Heaton’s 101, though Pickford has played around 500 fewer minutes fewer.

So what does Pickford’s transfer mean for Draft managers?

Last time around, only 12.6% of the draft fantasy football managers opted for Pickford and he was placed 26th on the same metric. All this not without reason. He was the last man on a defence as leaky as Sunderland’s. But the same could not be said of Stekelenburg and Robles who were owned by 37.8% and 15.4% of draft fantasy football managers respectively.

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For comparison, Schmeichel was chosen by 47.1% of the managers though Leicester conceded 19 goals more than Everton. Heaton was chosen by 57.8% of the people with Burnley conceding 11 more goals than Everton. Part of it might be because of the shared responsibilities between the two goalkeepers last season and the uncertainty over who might play. That problem should be solved with the arrival of Pickford. A defence as good as the one at Everton deserves its goal keeper to be high on anyone’s draft squad of XI.

Everton needed a new stable No. 1 and they have moved in fast to recruit the best-in-class goalkeeper available at the moment. His fee may raise a few eyebrows but Pickford’s performances so far speaks volumes of his capabilities and Everton actually look to have gotten a good deal.