Alious
A significant milestone has been reached by up-and-coming goalkeeper Douglass Lukjanciks, who has just secured his first professional contract with Everton Football Club. The ambitious 17-year-old, who despite his Latvian origins hails from Southport and represents England at the Under-18 level, has set his sights on an impressive dual goal: becoming the first-choice goalkeeper for both Everton and the England national team.
Lukjanciks’ journey with Everton began at age 12, when he transitioned from grassroots football to the club’s prestigious academy. His development has been steady, leading to his current role as a regular starter for the Under-18 team managed by former Everton left-back Leighton Baines. The young goalkeeper’s potential has been rewarded with a substantial three-year contract that extends through June 2027.
His aspirations put him on a path to potentially succeed Jordan Pickford, Everton’s current number one goalkeeper. Pickford, who arrived at Everton in 2017 for £25 million from Sunderland, has established himself as a cornerstone of both club and country. The 30-year-old has accumulated an impressive 263 appearances for Everton and holds the distinction of being the club’s most-capped England player with 71 international appearances, significantly surpassing Phil Jagielka’s previous record of 40 caps.
Lukjanciks is part of a strong goalkeeping tradition at Everton’s academy, training alongside fellow prospects such as Zan-Luk Leban, George Pickford, Fraser Barnsley, and Goodness Gospel-Eze. The academy’s depth of talent in the goalkeeper position has been praised by veteran keeper Asmir Begovic, who highlighted the quality throughout the club’s goalkeeping department.
The young goalkeeper’s progress hasn’t gone unnoticed by the club’s leadership, with Director of Football Kevin Thelwell expressing confidence in Lukjanciks’ potential for continued development under the guidance of Everton’s experienced coaching staff. While acknowledging his solid performances this season, Lukjanciks maintains a humble approach, recognizing that there’s always room for improvement and valuing the learning opportunities provided by training with his talented peers.
Alious
