David Moyes has revealed he told Everton to sign Jordan Pickford in 2017 when they made him the most expensive British goalkeeper in football history. The Blues paid Sunderland a £25m fee to bring the then 23-year-old to Goodison Park eight years ago.

It is a fee that was only eclipsed this summer when Manchester City brought James Trafford back from Burnley for £31m.

Following the departure of Moyes signing Tim Howard, who left Everton to return to the USA and join Colorado Rapids in 2016 after a decade of service at Goodison Park, new signing Maarten Stekelenburg and Joel Robles shared the number one spot, each starting 19 Premier League matches apiece during the 2016/17 season.

But with the Blues searching for a long-term successor to Howard, Moyes, who had resigned at Sunderland after suffering the only relegation of his managerial career, recommended Pickford, who had played 32 games for him that season, to his old Everton chairman.