Name: Jordan Lee Pickford
Current Team: Sunderland
Shirt Number: 13
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 22
Height: 6’
Nationality: England
Characteristics:
- Strong concentration.
- Highly able to save close range shots.
- Decent reflexes.
- Lacks discipline
- Likes to punch the ball to clear.
- Comes off his line often.
Jordan Pickford has come off from the Sunderland’s academy and has previously gained enough exposure, playing in the academy and the reserve team in addition to the loan spells at Darlington, Alfreton Town, Burton Albion, Carlisle United, Bradford City, and Preston North End.
On 31 July 2015, Pickford joined Preston North End on a season-long loan for the 2015–16 season. He kept a clean sheet on his debut in a 0-0 draw against Middlesbrough. He had successfully kept 12 clean sheets from 24 games that he played in the Football League Championship.
Stats Football League Championship 2015/16:
Match Appearances: 24
Clean Sheets: 12
Average Goals Conceded: 0.83
Average Saves Per Game: 2.17
Average Saves Per Game: 2.74
Average Claim Success: 95%
Average Punches: 46%
Distance Success: 39%
Minutes Played: 2101
Bookings: 2
Courtesy: Squawka
Jordan Pickford made his first appearance for Sunderland in the FA Cup at Arsenal, followed soon after by a Premier League debut at Tottenham Hotspur. And just 10 days after that game at White Hart Lane, the 22-year-old signed a new deal with the Black Cats which ties him to the club until 2020.
Looking at the stats, Pickford isn’t bad for a 22-year-old goalkeeper. He can be a decent signing, but his exposure to top tier football at England isn’t enough for him to deserve a move to a club like Manchester United yet. However, the Red Devils see Pickford as a long-term replacement for David de Gea, with both Sergio Romero and Victor Valdes potentially moving on this summer.
It may take a large offer to force him away from the Stadium of Light due to his recently signed deal but if there is one thing that Manchester United doesn’t lack even now, it is money.
