David Moyes is quietly building a competitive squad at Everton to usher the club forward, but Darren Bent believes one individual is too good for them.
Moyes wants Everton to be a competitive top-half team again after several seasons of disappointing finishes, and that’s why he’s making squad improvements.
His intent was clear during the summer transfer when he brought in Jack Grealish on a season-long loan, which has worked out well for the Toffees.
But one player has outgrown Everton and the level that they are currently at, in Bent’s opinion.
Everton manager David Moyes.
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Darren Bent believes Jordan Pickford should be playing for a Champions League club
Speaking on talkSPORT, Bent questioned whether Jordan Pickford should have extended his contract at Everton as he believes that the goalkeeper could jump to a higher level.
“I just think he’s a goalkeeper, which is no disrespect to Everton because we established that historically we believe Everton are a big club, we’re not calling them minnows. But he should be playing for a team that’s in the Champions League, or competing to get into the Champions League, every single season.
“England number one for a long time, he’s had good goalkeepers breathing down his neck, and he’s managed to keep them at bay. Very rarely has he let England down; he’s very durable, and he’s always there.
“He seems to have calmed down as well. There was a period when he used to get really emotional and do mad stuff, that’s all calmed down as well.”
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Bent’s opinion is the opposite of Danny Murphy’s. He believes Pickford has “been at Everton for a reason,” and he critiqued his ability to deal with crosses.
However, Charlie Austin questioned why Manchester United didn’t sign Pickford in the summer, and it has become apparent that Everton keeping hold of him is being seen as a positive decision by most people.
Jordan Pickford is set to make Everton history after his new contract
Ultimately, Pickford has extended his stay at the Hill Dickinson Stadium until 2029, pledging another four years to the club he has played for since 2017.
Pickford’s new deal has cemented his long-term future at the football club, and he is likely to remain Everton’s first-choice goalkeeper as long as he maintains his standard.
The England international could become Everton’s most-capped goalkeeper in Premier League history, given that he’s only 54 behind Tim Howard currently.
Four more years! 🖊️
Jordan Pickford's contract extension should see him pass Tim Howard as Everton's PL record holder in net 👀 pic.twitter.com/s57ClUTXU3
— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) October 16, 2025
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The goalkeeper has more than proven himself to the Toffees during that time, and Bent did admit that winning a trophy at Everton would mean more to Pickford now than leaving and doing it elsewhere, which will likely be one of his main aims.