Jordan Pickford: What You Need To Know

With the news that Everton are on the cusp of sealing a deal for Sunderland starting goalkeeper and England international Jordan Pickford, we thought it would be instructive to speak to those who know him best.

Gav from SB Nation’s The Roker Report stopped by to tell us just how good the young shot stopper is, and what kind of play style Everton fans can expect moving forward from their new number one.

RBM: What's Pickford's aerial ability like? Does he like to hold or prefer to punch? He's a little smaller than most GKs at this level, does that affect his play?

RR: Jordan is superb in the air. He was second only to Watford's Huerelho Gomes in terms of punched clearances last season, which says alot about his confidence and his ability to command his box.

His all round game is just fantastic - I keep shouting this from the rooftops but this guy is the real deal. Every single facet of his game is near perfect. You are buying a goalkeeper that will be England's number one and will go on to play for a club like Real Madrid or Barcelona - he's that good.

RBM: One of the things Everton have been sorely lacking with Joel Robles is ball distribution. Is that an area of strength for Pickford? Will he come to Goodison and be able to help get the ball into attack?

RR: Pickford's distribution is perhaps what sets him apart from just about every other goalkeeper in the division. He has a wand of a left boot that would make Pepe Reina blush and the way with which he can find his teammates further up the pitch is a joy to watch - if you don't quite believe me on how good he is at kicking the ball, just search YouTube yourself for clips of him hitting the Sunderland forwards with his long volleys up the field. He kicks the ball from his side which in turn means he is able to land through balls at the feet of attacking players with pace and pinpoint accuracy.

RBM: Robles is pretty much an out and out shot stopper in the most literal terms. He uses his above average frame and athleticism to get to shots that other keepers might not, but positionally, he's very poor, which can lead to some all-world howlers. Is Pickford someone who relies on his natural ability, or does he have a better understanding of where he needs to be?

RR: He made a handful of small errors last season but for a boy just in his first year as a Premier League goalkeeper he is unbelievably talented. Pickford just has it all. I don't know if you can tell from reading this but I'm his biggest fan - I honestly believe you're buying the most talented English goalkeeper of this generation.

Many thanks to Gav for taking time to answer our questions on a day that is surely difficult for Sunderland fans. On the heels of being relegated for the first time in a decade, the Black Cats will now lose their best player.

Evertonians, though, can take heart - it looks like the goalkeeper position is locked in for many years to come.