With Sporting playing Everton in a friendly at Goodison Park on Saturday, Portuguese newspaper O Jogo managed to interview someone who knows both clubs very well.
That’s João Virgínia, who’s belonged to the Toffees since 2018, and had a loan spell with the Lions in the 2021/22 season.
It turns out that besides speaking about the weekend’s match, Virgína also answered to many questions about Everton, since he’s just signed a contract extension with the club.
The goalkeeper now explains that following a loan spell at Dutch side SC Cambuur last season, he felt like he’d soon have more chances to play with the Toffees.
“The return was natural. I had one more year on my contract and the club has been following my career very positively, it has allowed me to play on loan at other clubs to have more games, different experiences. Returning to Everton, my renewal would be important to them and it was easy for us to reach an agreement.”
Regarding being the number two for Jordan Pickford, Virgínia claims to be glad that he’s working alongside such a good goalkeeper.
He now believes that the club has been giving him signs that he’ll get more chances.
“Going back to this season and even with the renewal, what was passed on to me is that I will have more opportunities, that I will be Pickford’s reserve. Being number two I will always be a small step away from joining the team and I believe I can have opportunities. That’s what made me come back here.”
In all those years at Everton, Virgínia only made three appearances for the club, all in the 2020/21 season.
Since then, he has had loans at Reading, Sporting and Cambuur, but wasn’t very regular at any of those clubs.
