Stay at the national gate! Reporter: Pickford is expected to complete the signing of a contract extension with Everton this week

According to Times reporter Paul Joyce, England goalkeeper Pickford is expected to sign a new long-term contract with Everton this week.

England goalkeeper Pickford is expected to officially sign a new contract with Everton before the Premier League restarts against Manchester City next weekend. Securing the 31-year-old goalkeeper's long-term stay has been a priority for coach Moyes and new owner Friedkin Group, who hope to strengthen the team's defensive core.

Pickford joined Everton from Sunderland in 2017 for £30 million and the new contract to be signed this week is expected to extend his stay at the Merseyside club to 12 years. He completed his 300th Premier League game for Everton in the victory over Crystal Palace before the international break, and his stable performance over the years played a key role in the team's avoidance of relegation.

Pickford has now become a leader in the club's dressing room, and his importance in the national team is also increasing. Last Thursday, he kept an eighth consecutive clean sheet against Wales, surpassing legendary goalkeeper Banks and becoming the first goalkeeper in England's history to achieve this feat.

Pickford is expected to make his 80th international appearance against Latvia in Riga on Tuesday. If they win, Tuchel's England team will lock in qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

When England coach Tuchel took office at the beginning of the year, he said that the battle for England's No. 1 goalkeeper would be reopened. However, Pickford still firmly occupies the main position of the national team with his stable performance, leading Dean Henderson and Trafford in the starting order.

The 31-year-old England goalkeeper Pickford has currently represented Everton in 326 appearances in all competitions during his career, with 91 clean sheets and a total of 453 goals conceded. Pickford's contract with the club expires in the summer of 2027, and the player's current transfer price is 18 million euros.