Dominic Calvert-Lewin has signalled the end of his 9-year journey with Everton, as the centre-forward's final contract with the club expires tomorrow.
Joining Everton's Academy from Sheffield United in the summer of 2016 for just £1.5m, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was regarded as one for the future, but it didn't take long before then manager Ronald Koeman wanted to see what he might be able to do for the first team.
Described as being physically strong with good aerial presence, Calvert-Lewin was named in England's U20 squad, having made it into the Blades' senior side the previous year following a very successful loan spell at Northampton Town.
He went into Everton's Under-23s side under David Unsworth who said: "This is an opportunity of a lifetime for him. To go from League One to the Premier League is a massive jump but he certainly has all of the attributes to make that jump, given time, hard work and the desire I know he has.”
After a few appearances from the subs bench in December 2016, including the match against Hull City when he was unlucky not to score a goal that could have won the game, Calvert-Lewin was given his full Everton debut by Koeman in a Premier League fixture against Southampton. He would last just 5 minutes, however, before he turned his ankle in a tackle and was forced off to spend the next two months on the sidelines.
Koeman's faith in the youngster was rewarded when he returned, though, and Calvert-Lewin scored a lovely opening goal in his first start back, again against Hull City in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park, with a sweet finish. The striker had only played in 10 senior games, scoring one goal, when his contract was renegotiated to run for another year with significantly increased remuneration.
And he was picked by Koeman to play in a surprising number of games, albeit often out of position wide on the right before he left early to play for England in the U20 World Cup in South Korea. He would go on to feature in most games and was there when it really mattered, in the Final, where he scored the only goal of the game to win the trophy for England and the unprecedented group of five Everton players in the side.
By 21, Calvert-Lewin was emerging as a highly competent, mobile young forward with an excellent first touch, good distribution, aerial prowess and ability to bring other players into the game. What he lacked, despite coming up with the occasional "pearler" or vital strike off he bench, was regular goals, a need that became acute during Marco Silva's first season as manager at Everton following Koeman's dismissal and the interim tenure of Sam Allardyce.
With the Blues having largely failed to replace Romelu Lukaku, it appeared as though the new manager felt he had enough firepower in the side with Calvert-Lewin, new signing Richarlison and Allardyce acquisitions Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun. However, while Richarlison would finish top scorer in 2018-19 with Gylfi Sigurdsson on 13 goals, his best form came from out wide and there was a big onus on Calvert-Lewin to start scoring. He would manage just 8 goals that season but his greatest value to the team was still coming from his tireless running, workrate and aerial ability which allowed the other forwards to operate in space around him.
Silva and Director of Football, Marcel Brands, would make what was widely regarded as an obvious move during the summer 2019 transfer window with the purchase of teenage striker Moise Kean from Juventus, a player of whom much was expected and who promised to pose stern competition for the centre-forward role. Calvert-Lewin, however, asked for and was given the famous No 9 shirt for the season, adding, perhaps, further incentive to lift his game and increase his strike-rate leading the line for Everton.
It took time; with only 7 goals scored by Christmas 2019, but Calvert-Lewin would then profit massively from a change that arrived initially with Duncan Ferguson stepping in to replace Silva before Carlo Ancelotti assumed the helm on Boxing Day. The stand-in boss paired Richarlison with Calvert-Lewin up front in an old-fashioned and sometimes derided 4-4-2 formation and the young striker banged in 8 goals in just 10 games to earn a new 5-year deal from the club that would secure his place leading the line through 2025.
Unfortunately, his goals completely dried up following the resumption of the League after the 3-month Covid-19 shutdown in the spring of 2020. Calvert-Lewin failed to find the net in any of the final nine fixtures of the campaign as the team generally struggled for form and ambled their way to a 12th place finish but he still ended up joint-top scorer with Richarlison with 15 goals in all competitions.
Though the 2020 close season was a protracted one, Everton's squad and Calvert-Lewin in particular appeared to have used it to the maximum because both came flying out of the proverbial traps at the start of the 2020-21 season. Bolstered by three key midfield acquisitions in the form of Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez, the Toffees won their first six games in all competitions and Calvert-Lewin fired eight goals in five starts including successive hat-tricks at Goodison Park, becoming the first player to manage the feat since John Willie Parker in the 1953-54 campaign.
He was rewarded with a first call-up to the senior England squad in October 2020 and would go on to score more than 20 goals – the first Everton player to do so since Romelu Lukaku. As injuries and suspension disrupted the Blues' campaign in the autumn before Ancelotti's first full season in charge fizzled out altogether after the New Year, Dominic would only manage 3 goals in the last 18 games of the season as Everton dropped from being early leaders to finish a poor 10th in the Premier League.
Calvert-Lewin continued to get selected for the England squad by Gareth Southgate but, when it came to meaningful games at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, Harry Kane always got the nod. Rumoured interest from Arsenal surfaced in the wake of the tournament, interest that never really firmed up before Calvert-Lewin sustained a serious injury that would sideline him for 4 months during 2021-22 and then contribute to a succession of injury problems that would derail his career over the ensuing 12 months.
He had made another blistering start to the Premier League season, scoring in each of the first three matches under new manager Rafael Benitez, that despite a broken toe, but a torn quadriceps kept him out until New Year and he would be in and out of the side for the rest of the season, with all evidence pointing to a player who was just not physically right.
The frustration of not being able to play having ascended to such great heights the previous season weighed heavily on the Yorkshireman and he admitted to internal battles and emotional challenges that compounded his slow recovery and loss of form but a triumphant return in May 2022 in the penultimate game of 2021-22 hinted that he was back on track.
Needing to win to guarantee their Premier League survival, the Toffees fell behind 2-0 to Crystal Palace but, when goals by Michael Keane and Richarlison brought them back level, Calvert-Lewin came up trumps when he launched himself at a Demarai Gray free-kick and powered it home with a fantastic header to secure a precious late win.
With Everton still in a financial straight-jacket after 3 years of excessive losses, a profitable sale of their star forward was strongly rumoured but, perhaps, the combination of the asking price and doubts over Calvert-Lewin's fitness meant that as 2022-23 approached, he was still a Blues player.
Unfortunately, he succumbed to injury yet again just days before the season was about to kick off against Chelsea, with a knee injury condemning him to another six weeks in recovery but once again his return was a stuttering one,
When he returned to action in October 2022, he was still feeling pain in the knee by the time the break for the World Cup came around, an issue that had been compounded by a niggling hamstring strain and a dislocated shoulder. He was back in the starting XI on New Year’s Eve when the Toffees held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw and started each of Everton’s Premier League games up to the win over Arsenal in Dyche’s first match in charge.
Dyche withdrew him from the action and vowed to get to the bottom of what factors could be causing or contributing to Calvert-Lewin's never-ending battle with niggling injuries. Over the next 2 months, he would miss 10 games in Everton's faltering campaign to avoid the drop, returning to the starting line-up against Crystal Palace and looking better in successive games as he helped the cause with a fine goal at Leicester and a very well-worked assist for Doucouré at Brighton.
He broke down again in the penultimate game of the season at Wolves, though, and missed the deciding fixture against Bournemouth on the final day as Everton secured their Premier League status in dramatic fashion once more thanks to a 1-0 win.
The striker used the 2023 close season to try and finally get back to fitness, spending a week at a world-renowned facility in Germany and continuing a tailored rehabilitation programme at Finch Farm which paid dividends in terms of his availability the following season. Where he had managed just 17 league appearances in each of the previous two campaigns, in 2023-24 "DCL" featured in 32 Premier League matches and scored eight goals after overcoming a frustratingly long goal drought between October and early April.
He reached something of a crossroads in the summer of 2024, though, with one year left on his contract. A proposed move to Newcastle United fell through in June as clubs scrambled to remain compliant with the Premier League's Profitability & Sustainability Rules and a lucrative contract remained on the table at Everton as the new season approached.
But his final season at Everton — their final season at Goodison Park — would bring no form of rapprochement for the centre-forward who found it harder and harder to score goals. All he could manage was 3, despite his involvement in two-thirds of the games played. That contract remained on the table but he seemed to have no interest in signing it, bringing to an end a very mixed and largely unfulfilled Everton career.
Explaining his decision to leave David Moyes’ side, the 28-year-old published a lengthy open letter to supporters on his official Instagram account on Sunday.
He said: “After nine remarkable years at this club, I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision – together with my family – to begin a new chapter in my career.
“This isn’t something I chose lightly. Everton has been my home since I was 19 years old.
“It’s the place that saw potential in me, challenged me to grow, and shaped me both as a footballer and as a man.
“I want to express my gratitude to all the managers and coaches I’ve worked with over the years, and to my teammates who have become lifelong friends.
“Above all, I want to speak to you, the fans. Your passion is the beating heart of this club. Whether times were good or tough. Your unwavering support never faltered.
“Celebrating goals at Goodison Park, feeling that roar, is an experience I’ll carry with me forever.
“The choice to move on was not simply about me – it was a decision my family and I spent a long time considering together.
“We believe it is the right moment to seek a new challenge and continue growing, but that doesn’t lessen the bond I’ll always have with Everton.
“I’m deeply proud if what we’ve shared, fighting for this club when it mattered most, scoring big goals in crucial moments, wearing the shirt with commitment and pride.
“My hope is that I leave with your respect, knowing I always sought to uphold the values of this great club. Thank you for everything.
“From my very first day, I always knew what it meant to play for Everton.”
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Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:09:29
There's a post on the Everton FC Fan Group Facebook page with a message from Calvert-Lewin saying he's leaving.
Looks as if it's an image taken from somewhere...assume it's a genuine post etc... if it is, then a new era begins.
Class message from him too if it's his message!
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:15:19
Calvert-Lewin has announced hes leaving Everton.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:27:45
Wonder if anyone has made an offer to Calvert-Lewin?
It's probably the right time to move on. He'd probably get grief if he didn't score in preseason — fans would be right on his back.
Wonder if his wife has had a word given the unwarranted abuse she got?
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:31:00
Probably best for both the player and the club. Hope he doesn't end up scoring against us.
Who's better? Him or Beto? (Please let's not start that again!)
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:32:23
Classy goodbye message.
I don't blame him for wanting to seek pastures new.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:42:19
I'm sad Calvert-Lewin is leaving. I don't think he got enough credit for that great goal against Palace.
Yes, he had his injuries but is that his fault? He's an erudite and likeable man with potential for better, alas not with us. I wish him well and his parting message was class.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:57:30
Julian, I don't think he gets enough credit generally. Parting message was class but I don't think I expected anything less.
Interested to see where he rocks up next.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:57:59
Thanks, Dom.
He showed what he could do when he is well managed and will go on to do more of the same wherever he ends up if he finds the right support.
Unfortunately for us his injuries and our playing style held him back but he did contribute massively to our survival.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:59:20
I'm disappointed but probably for the best. Good luck Dom.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 12:59:22
Nice heartfelt message from Dominic. I could thank him for a lot of things, but the stand out for me is that Crystal Palace goal.
For very different reasons, that night at Goodison is up there with them.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:02:10
Gutted to be honest, though I don't blame him for seeking pastures new.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:08:24
I think it's the right decision for both Dominic and Everton.
He needs a restart somewhere new, and hopefully he stays injury-free for a while.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:14:18
Good luck to Dominic, a great servant of the club.
He gave us 9 years, so I hope he does well in his future career.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:15:40
I hope Everton fans remember him well and treat him with respect if or when he turns out for the opposition.
I think it's time for a fresh start for Domonic and Everton.
We can only speculate why he wants to move and have no idea of whether a contract offer was made or refused.
I wish him good luck and I hope he stays injury-free, no player wants injuries.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:17:35
I reckon he's going to Leeds.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:26:38
He says he wants to play in the Champions League but if he settles for Europa League then I can see him at Roma and scoring the first goal at our new stadium.
I would be amazed if he settles for Leeds.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:29:43
At the risk of getting dog's abus,e I'm not sorry he's going; frees us up his wages.
Some crucial goals admittedly, but not enough goals in the years he's been at the club.
He isn't a good striker of the ball, particularly at one one-on-ones. He never has been to me, apart from a short spell with Carlo. Though good ability with his head.
Classy message to say bye though
I agree no player wants to be injured, but we're a business, and he's too many times injured.
Money best spent elsewhere.
With Beto under contract, I'm going to be brave… and with little money…I think Vardy would be very good for us on a 1-year contract as an alternative to Beto.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:34:54
The timing is right for both parties but I think that headline is a bit unfair.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:37:26
Mark, dog's abuse. Why would you think that? :)
A lot of what you say is what a lot of others are thinking.
But you mention Vardy. I also think he'd be useful and not necessarily in place of Beto.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:42:03
I'm fairly neutral about this.
I could see the logic in retaining him as a free transfer (whilst acknowledging the downside of high wages). Seems like the club has tried to do a deal but it never looked like his heart was really in it. So it's best to move on.
After Jonathan David, he's easily the best free transfer striker in world football - so is unlikely to be short of offers. Hopefully he goes abroad as it would annoy me to see him playing for another Premier League side.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:42:48
Out with the old in with the new, has had 9 great years and looked after at Everton, best of luck wherever you go but nows the time to try and bring in a goal scorer who can at least get to double figures every season and put away those crucial one on ones.
If we are to move forward then we need a better quality centre forward than Dom, no dig at the guy, but for me we need to aim higher and pull out all the stops for a top class centre forward.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:46:12
Robert 20. Really?!? A guy that hardly ever plays and seldom scores is the second best option available on a free this summer?
Loan deals it is then.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:46:39
@ian @19 sorry I wasnt clear on that bit.
Beto is a bulldozer and we know hes clumsy, but under Moyes he was causing havoc. Defenders bouncing off him
I think we could switch them one starting / one coming on etc
Vardy still has bit in him (hes on record saying hes only left leics for another season in prem.)
i think we would be perfect for him.
He aint going top end, though I still think hed be good for arsenal if mikky doesnt get the cash for a top dollar signing
Re the dogs abuse I thought I would haha !
For those that say we have money I still think we have to be careful thanks to the lunacy of PSR and amount of players we have lost
Ive just never rated DCL. Good decision for all to part ways if he is our top earner
Social media abuse he got though…I dont agree with
Lets move on
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:47:32
Andrew Ellams 18 -
I thought that too, bit snidey sounding but maybe not meant that way?
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:50:58
Always suspected he would leave as he never seemed quite as happy here since being booed a year or two back.
Will have to go down as one of our best signings in the last decade at only £1.5m and ge has scored many important goals for this club. I never had any issues at all with his off the field antics and never saw it detracting from his performances on the pitch.
Saw somewhere that he played the exact same amount of games as Duncan Ferguson and scored one less goal. And yet his legacy may feel quite different. I wish good luck to him. If he stays fit hell be a very useful player for whoever gets him.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:53:07
After all this club has done for him, I think he has very clearly and obviously turned his back on Everton.
He made sure — after 9 years of very mixed performances, where the club stood by him through endless injuries and all his mental health problems — that he could walk away a free agent, having spurned a very lucrative contract that would have allowed the club to charge a substantial transfer fee for his registration.
That I think is shameful. The least he could have done in return is made sure we got a decent transfer fee for him.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:54:14
It's a shame he is leaving, I was hoping he would stay.
His wife and children obviously come into the equation when he is considering his future. He must have good offers elsewhere, a club further down south would be my choice.
That's another asset that's walking away for nothing, you can't make players sign contracts if they don't want to, but the control is little too much in players hands nowadays.
Good luck to him, that third goal against Palace was worth absolute fortunes.
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:55:37
When fully fit and carefree, Dom is a beast of an athlete and Van Dijk was terrorised by him on many occasions because he couldn't live with him in the air and he is very quick.
Shame Dom suffered so many setbacks but he defo leaves with my respect and a new start will do him good. Hope he goes to Serie A where I'm sure he will do well.
Jamie Vardy – gents, that's not even funny. He is finished and do you want his Mrs around?
Posted 29/06/2025 at 13:59:25
Not even sure he has got a concrete offer yet
EOCs will get higher wages and higher sign on fee
Regardless of country
No need for him to rush and grab at nearest offer
He will prob announce in august after agent plays clubs off against each other
Posted 29/06/2025 at 14:03:12
@terry 28
I dont think any club will care re his mrs
He still scored for a very poor leics team in the prem
He Is still quick and to my memory (poss wrong) we havent had one of those for quite a while
We cant sign loads of players for big fees this summer
Hes polar opposite of Beto and I think thats a good call re oppo defenders
Posted 29/06/2025 at 14:03:24
Good luck
Leeds is about his level.
A distinctly average player who had the smattering of great games.
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