Joao Virginia has revealed he has his sights set on returning to Everton and is hoping his loan spell away from the club this season will help him shine.
Virginia joined SC Cambuur early last month for the 2022/23 campaign as he continues to seek further first-team minutes with the Eredivisie club. The goalkeeper spent last season with Sporting CP in his home country.
Jordan Pickford has been Everton’s number one since he joined from Sunderland in the summer of 2017. Since joining the Blues a year later, Virginia has earned the majority of his minutes with the under-23s, while a loan at Reading in 2019/20 being cut short early due to lack of playing time.
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The goalkeeper was, however, handed his Premier League debut in March 2021, coming off the bench to replace an injured Jordan Pickford early in a 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Goodison Park – although he conceded no goals. Eight days later he made his bow in the FA Cup, and couldn't keep Manchester City winning 2-0 in the quarter-final.
“We came to play against Ajax, in Holland, for the Champions League,” Virginia told Record when explaining how the move came about.
“I played a good game and at the end of the season, there was interest from some Dutch clubs to take me on loan. They contacted me.
“Here I saw the challenge of coming to a different league, at a club where last year the goalkeeper was the one who made the saves. It’s a different league, attacking football, there will be plenty of opportunities to shine.
“It’s (the Premier League) the top of football. I’ve been at two clubs, the goal is always to get back there.”
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