Vitalii Mykolenko: What does his Everton future look like?

As the January Transfer window closes and the Premier League season enters the final run-in with Everton well placed in the mid-table throng, let's turn the spotlight on Vitalii Mykolenko's situation.

With his current 4-year deal set to expire in June, the Ukrainian international could potentially walk away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium on a free transfer at the end of the season. Some observers suggest the club is finally ready to act and extend the contract of another regular first-team player, just as they eventually did with James Garner.

Since arriving from Dynamo Kyiv in 2021, Mykolenko has established himself as a first-choice member of the Blues’ backline — not so much because of an exceptional skillset or unfailing impressive performances, but because there have simply been few other realistic options to fill the left-back slot he has made his own.

The stats speak for themselves: 146 appearances, 4 goals, and 3 assists. While those attacking numbers won’t remind anyone of Leighton Baines in his prime, they don't tell the full story of his importance to David Moyes’s system.

In a squad that has been ravaged by injuries and inconsistency over the last three seasons, Mykolenko has been "ever-present." He is a good example of a "Moyes player"  — disciplined, physically robust, and rarely yields an inch to the Premier League’s high-profile wingers. But as an overlap attcking wing back who can swing in a pinpoint cross... he's just not your man.

The Athletic reported on Tuesday that while the long-term outlook remains a bit hazy, Everton are expected to exercise an option to extend his stay. It’s a move that makes sense for two reasons:

1. On-pitch stability: We simply do not have a ready-made replacementin his position, and seemingly did nothing to rectify this in yet another wasted transfer window.

2. Financial protection: In the era of PSR and SCR, allowing a 25-year-old international defender with nearly 150 Premier League appearances to leave for £0 is not something Everton can afford.

By triggering the extension or offering a new deal, the club ensures that, if Mykolenko is to move on — amid rumoured interest from clubs elsewhere — it will be for a sizeable fee rather than a handshake and a thank you.

The argument could also be made that one-time Everton captain Mykolenko’s value is now at an all-time high. He has proven he can handle the rigours of a defensive role in the Premier League and has improved his positioning and one-on-one defending significantly since his debut.

If a continental club or a Premier League rival comes sniffing, Everton need to be in a position to leverage their investment. Extending his contract isn’t just about keeping him in a Royal Blue (... black or primrose) Everton shirt for the next 4 or 5 years; it’s about ensuring that the club’s balance sheet reflects his true worth on the pitch.

Views on Mykolenko's value to the team can be divided — some seeing a limited fullback, others see a defensive pillar. But we should all agree on this: seeing him walk away for free in June would be a disaster.

Whether he is the long-term answer at left-back or a sellable asset used to reinvest in the squad, TFG and their fabled recruitment team must act now. Protect the value, secure the player, and avoid another "what if" scenario that has plagued our recruitment strategy in recent years. 

It doesn't change the imperative to find a better player for his position, but it just makes sense in what can be a difficult and cruel football world.

 

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