Everton hoping to fend off Arsenal and Manchester City for Sunderland’s Jordan Pickford

Everton are willing to pay Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford £90,000 a week to fend off competition from Manchester City and Arsenal, according to The Daily Express.

The 23-year-old shot-stopper has been one of a few bright sparks in the Black Cats’ woeful Premier League campaign, which sees the Black Cats bottom of the division and 12 points adrift of safety with just six games remaining.

However, they could be in a far worse position were it not for the heroics of England Under-21 international Pickford, whose incredible displays like against Tottenham, West Brom, Hull, and Watford have seen him nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

And it has also attracted much interest from the upper echelons of the Premier League, but it is Ronald Koeman’s Everton who appear to be making the first move by willing to offer the young goalkeeper £90,000 to move to Goodison Park.

They are hoping that an offer of that size may be enough to dissuade Pickford from joining Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, although he is likely to set the Toffees back £15 million this summer, seemingly regardless of which division Sunderland are in.

Everton drew 0-0 at West Ham on Saturday to miss the chance to go fifth in the Premier League table, but with seventh place likely to be a European place this season, Koeman’s men look set for a return to the Europa League next term.

They are sixth in the division with four games left to play, and host league leaders Chelsea at Goodison Park next Sunday.