Gylfi Sigurdsson will find a quiet moment to jot down his targets for 2019/20 on the eve of Everton’s Premier League opening-day clash with Crystal Palace.
Midfielder Sigurdsson routinely sets himself fresh goals for a new campaign, before stashing those objectives in his training ground locker.
The Icelander featured in all of Everton’s 38 Premier League matches last term and struck 14 goals in all competitions, tying with Richarlison as his team’s top scorer.
Sigurdsson has featured in five of the Blues' pre-season fixtures and is poised for a pivotal role under Marco Silva in the forthcoming campaign.
“I will probably write down my targets on the way to the Palace game or in the hotel the night before,” Sigurdsson told evertontv.
“They are dependent on the previous season. Loads of different things go into deciding them – they won’t be too different from the goals I set myself last season but you always want to improve.
“They are always in my locker, so I see them every day.”
Sigurdsson, who became Everton’s Club-record signing when he joined from Swansea City two years ago, is one of the longer-standing figures in Everton’s dressing room.
He has been joined at Goodison Park by attacking duo Moise Kean and Alex Iwobi and Djibril Sidibe, the France World Cup winning right-back, since Everton completed their pre-season campaign against Werder Bremen last week.
The midfield trio of Fabian Delph, Andre Gomes and Jean Philippe-Gbamin have also signed this summer, along with goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.
Former Tottenham Hotspur player Sigurdsson is optimistic the calibre of manager Silva’s recruits will provide Everton a substantial shot in the arm ahead of the new campaign.
Sigurdsson added: “We feel ready for the first game this season.
“Pre-season is about the hard work – building a training load and preparing to make sure you are ready for the first game and everything beyond.
“We would have liked to have scored more goals in the friendly games but training is the most important thing in that period.
“We have added quality and strengthened the squad for this season.
“The Club is committed to improving and we have a lot of competition for places, which is healthy for the team.”
