Everton are closing in on an agreement with Vitaly Mykolenko to extend his contract at the club, as the Ukrainian is seen as a long-term part of their project.
Everton are planning some important things to further their project under David Moyes and are on the verge of making an important decision with a key player. As per Fabrizio Romano, Vitaly Mykolenko is on the verge of extending his contract at the Hill-Dickinson Stadium, as he is seen as a long-term prospect for their promising project.
Reliability coupled with consistency is paramount for a Premier League-level defender at a club moving up the ladder like Everton. One of their players who personifies those attributes is Vitaly Mykolenko, who has been one of the more reliable performers for the club even in difficult periods.
Solid in defending and decent enough to help his teammates in the final third, there are only a handful of clubs in England who may not want to have him in their squads. David Moyes is aware of the defender’s reliable performances since he took over the club, and is now ready to keep him for the long term.
Everton had planned for contract talks with Mykolenko as well as other stars like Michael Keane and Idrissa Gueye, but it appears the Ukrainian is close to agreeing on fresh terms. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the news and states that the club view the 26-year-old wide player as a key part of their long-term planning.
Mykolenko has played over 150 times for the Toffees since joining the club in 2022 from Dynamo Kyiv, the only other club he has played for in his career. There’s an element of being a loyal footballer, which is also a rare occurrence in this day and age, as Everton will benefit from keeping hold of the 26-year-old defender.
Everton to Sign More Defenders?
Everton are not going to stand still after the Mykolenko agreement, as they plan on strengthening the full-back areas as a priority in the summer. Ben White is being linked with a move in the summer, while there are possibilities of bringing in a left-sided full-back, too.
Everton were linked with Nathan Ake as an example, with the Dutchman capable of playing out wide as well as centrally. Overall, the Toffees are pushing to create a team capable of finishing in the European places as a priority next season, although that is something they could very well achieve in the time remaining in the current campaign.