Everton defender Vitalii Mykolenko has confirmed that his representatives are set to enter contract talks with the club soon, denying 'lies' in the media that he doesn't want to discuss a renewal.
Mykolenko signed for the Toffees back in 2022 during the January transfer window, joining the club from Dynamo Kyiv back in his home country. Since then, Mykolenko has become a key player for the Merseyside outfit, and he's a guaranteed starter on the left-hand side of the defence under David Moyes.
Mykolenko's contract is set to expire next summer, so Everton will need to make a decision soon in regards to his future, as he'll be able to speak to clubs from around Europe in January. Everton won't want to lose him for free, so extending his stay at the club could be beneficial, even just to protect his value.
Mykolenko Confirms Everton Contract Talks
Vitaliy Mykolenko
Speaking to Ukrainian journalist Viktor Vatsko, Mykolenko has confirmed that his representatives are set to hold talks with Everton over a potential new contract. The Everton left-back has also denied 'lies' that have claimed that he's unwilling to enter discussions with the Merseyside club over a potential renewal.
“I don’t know where you read that. Ah, that’s all, of course. That I don’t want to negotiate [contract] with Everton is a complete lie, because we just haven’t talked about it yet. I know my agent will be talking to Everton representatives soon. I don’t even think about it because I like to play for this club, I get a kick out of it here, that’s the most important thing for me. My family is comfortable living here."
Mykolenko's performances have come under scrutiny during his time at the club, but multiple managers have kept him as their starting left-back. Adam Aznou was brought to the club in the summer transfer window to provide cover and competition for the defender, but Moyes is yet to give the Moroccan left-back any minutes in the Premier League.
Moyes is clearly showing faith in the defender, and he will likely be hoping that the club are able to come to an agreement to extend his contract before it expires. With the transfer window closed, focus for the Toffees will be on keeping some of their key stars, and Mykolenko could be next on the list to renew.