Holgate: Everton new-boy Pickford already preparing for life at Goodison Park

Mason Holgate admits he has been giving Everton’s new record signing Jordan Pickford the inside track on his new teammates while on international duty with the England under-21s.

Pickford, 23, is currently in Poland with defender Holgate with the Young Lions, who are gearing up for a monumental clash with historic rivals Germany in their first European Championships semi-final for nine years.

The former Sunderland shot-stopper sealed a £25million (that could rise to £30million) move to Goodison Park earlier this month – becoming the most expensive British goalkeeper ever in the process.

And Holgate, who broke into the Toffees side last season and made 19 Premier League appearances, believes Pickford will fit in very well when he returns for preseason at Everton.

“We’ve been spending time together over here,” he said. “I get on well with Jordan anyway, even before he signed for us.

“We’re both from up north and when we go to England, we usually go down in the same car because he would go from Sunderland and I’d usually get picked up from back home in Doncaster.

“He’s been asking me a few things and I’ve been telling him what it’s like to be an Everton player. He’s really looking forward to getting started with us.

“He’s great to play with. As a defender, you have a lot of faith in him making big saves and then you know he can find you – or anyone else on the pitch – at any time with his distribution.

“We’re both really looking forward to the semi-final. There is a real buzz about the game and, obviously, it is made that little bit more special with the big rivalry that exists between the two countries.

“We’re all prepared and confident that we can put in a big performance and make it to the final.”