New 3-year deal for Vitaliy Mykolenko: “We want to finish much higher”

After considerable uncertainty over his future, Everton have announced that Vitalii Mykolenko has signed a new contract, extending his stay on Merseyside until the end of June 2029.

The 27-year-old Ukrainian left-back, whose previous deal was set to enter its final year, put pen to paper on a fresh 3-year agreement to ward off reported summer interest from Premier League rivals.

Mykolenko arrived at Goodison Park from Dynamo Kyiv in January 2022 for an undisclosed fee. Since replacing Lucas Digne, he has established himself as a virtually unchallenged regular in the Blues' backline, racking up 157 appearances across four gruelling seasons that included navigating multiple high-stakes relegation battles.

Speaking to evertontv after signing the extension, Mykolenko reflected on his journey and the tight-knit culture at the club:

"I feel excited to sign this new contract – very excited and proud," he said. "I remember the first message I received from Seamus [Coleman] when I signed in 2022. He gave me that confidence immediately that I'm in a proper family here.

"In the first few years of my time here, we were struggling, but our team, as a family – every person in the building gave everything to get through it. What we have now is stronger and we are getting better every season. For me, it's most important to feel confident and feel comfortable in the environment."

While Mykolenko has sometimes divided opinion among the fan base due to a perceived lack of attacking output in the final third — registering just three assists in his Premier League career — his durability and defensive numbers are highly valued. The defender currently ranks among the Premier League's Top 10 for interceptions and completed tackles since his arrival.

He was quick to praise manager David Moyes for bringing stability back to the squad, hinting at higher ambitions now that Everton have completed a year in their new stadium.

"Since the manager came in, I think we are building up. He's a very good person, which is important for me and, as a manager, he gave me freedom on the pitch.

"Next season, we want to finish much higher. I like to have realistic dreams... winning a trophy or maybe a European trophy, as some other teams have done in the past few years.

"Individually, just to play every single game, and be consistent as Jimmy [Garner] was this season. That was a good example for me because of how brilliant and how consistent he's been. I like that and want to achieve it, too.”

With the club working hard to secure their first-team assets ahead of a busy transfer window, retaining a reliable, left-sided defender looks to be a sensible piece of early summer business.

 

---

Reader Comments (18)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()

How to get rid of these ads and support TW