Many Everton fans have been reacting on social media to reports by The Times’ Paul Joyce, claiming the club will look to open contract talks with Mason Holgate.
The Toffees currently do not have any negotiations with the defender planned, but are looking to secure his future at Goodison Park having seen the Doncaster-born star become a firm fixture of the first-team this season.
Holgate has started each of our fixtures across all competitions since opening the 3-2 Premier League loss at Brighton & Hove Albion on October 26, and has seen out the full 90 minutes in all of those 21 starts.
He also opened the scoring in our Carabao Cup Fourth Round win over Watford in October, while assisting strikes against Brighton, Southampton and West Ham United in the Premier League.
Interim head coach Duncan Ferguson even deployed the £25,000-per-week ace in midfield against Manchester United in December amid a spate of absences, and Holgate did not look out of place alongside Tom Davies as we drew 1-1 at Old Trafford.
What wage would Holgate deserve in a new deal?
£30-50k
£50-75k
£75-100k
£100k+
Joyce is not the only one to claim that Everton intend to hold discussions with Holgate over a new deal, after reports earlier in the week suggested the club are keen to reward him after becoming a ‘key’ part of boss Carlo Ancelotti’s plans.
Holgate is under contract at Goodison Park until the summer of 2022.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Joyce’s post claiming the club intend to offer 6 ft 1 Holgate a new deal…
Priority No 1 now me thinks
— BILLO (@POPEYETOM1) February 3, 2020
The lads been class 4 us this season well deserved
— ste shirley (@bet0132) February 3, 2020
Never mind Potentially…. get it done #efc
— Anwen Edwards 🏴🏳️🌈 (@AlfaLady) February 3, 2020
All for it. Mason has come on very well this season and is playing consistently well.
— Peter Papadopoulos (@PeterPapadopo11) February 4, 2020
He deserves it, along wit dcl, having a great season.
— Tomas (@toffeetommy79) February 3, 2020
And give him the armband next season
— peter39 (@peter3910) February 3, 2020
Hallelujah
— Petetheblue1878 (@PeterWoolley7) February 3, 2020
Potentially? They better!
— Petey Wheat (@SweetPTWheat) February 3, 2020
In other Everton news, a former international has claimed that Ancelotti is starting to get the most out of players the club appeared to have wasted millions of pounds to sign.