Jordan Pickford has paid tribute to Yerry Mina and believes his Everton side must improve their home form next season in order to avoid being in another relegation battle.
Mina arrived at Goodison Park back in 2018, joining from Barcelona in a deal worth €30.25m. However, he announced his departure on the eve of his side’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
The centre-back struggled for playing time for the majority of the 2022/23 season, with injuries, just like they often have during his time on Merseyside, being a reason behind his lack of match action.
READ MORE: Everton brace for Seamus Coleman contract decision after celebration sends clear message
READ MORE: Sean Dyche faces six Everton transfer dilemmas after decision made on first-team stars
The 28-year-old had not featured at all under Sean Dyche until the 5-1 win away at Brighton last month. But from that game on, he went on to feature in all the Blues’ remaining Premier League fixtures, including Sunday’s crucial win over Gary O’Neil’s side, which preserved Everton's top-flight status for another year.
"He has been a fantastic servant," Pickford said when asked about Mina. "He is a top player. He came from Barcelona, Colombia international, and he is a great lad.
"He came over and had to learn English. He’s brilliant and a great character in the dressing room, but when he stepped over that white line, he gave absolutely everything.
"Injuries have probably stopped him in his tracks. For us, we have just got to keep going, but Yerry has been a top lad and a top servant to the club."
Their heads may well now be above water following a campaign of struggle, but there is no escaping the hard facts behind just how bad 2022/23 has been for Everton. The 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Goodison Park marked the first time the club has ever lost 10 league matches at home during the same season.
Everton were beaten at home by Leicester City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa, Fulham and Newcastle United during the campaign, and Pickford believes his side’s poor home form was one of the reasons they found themselves in the position they did.
He said: "Throughout the course of the season, the results and points we have dropped against teams who have come to our patch and taken three points against us, we should never be in this position.
"But on the flip side, you can take that character as a team. The dressing room we have got, we can take belief from that, but we should not be in that position."
And asked about the atmosphere inside Goodison on Sunday, the England international said: "It is great when it is like that. It is bouncing.
"We know what type of fan base we have got at Everton, and it has not been ideal because they thrive for a lot more from us.
"But we also need to be realistic to see where we have been in the last couple of years, so because moments like that, big moments, we, as a bunch of players, didn’t want to be the team that took Everton Football Club down into the Championship, so we have got work on our hands next season."
READ NEXT
I don't know who sanctioned embarrassing Everton picture that needs tearing down
Everton have '£4.5m' transfer chance that is too good to turn down
Relief and hope on County Road as Everton set for long goodbye
Everton face watershed moment after narrowly avoiding financial nightmare
Everton fan group releases statement with urgent demand for Farhad Moshiri
