Everton goalkeeper Billy Crellin has signed a new contract with the Club until the end of June 2025.
The 23-year-old joined the Blues from Fleetwood Town in January 2022, and the promising shot-stopper has featured for Everton Under-21s since his arrival on Merseyside, while training with the Men’s Senior Team.
“I’m over the moon to be extending my stay here,” Crellin told evertonfc.com. “It means everything for me and my family because we’re all Evertonians.
“It was a dream when I was a kid and coming to watch Premier League games here, so I’m just living a childhood dream.
“I’ve loved every minute at Everton. Training with Jordan, Loners [Andy Lonergan], Joao [Virginia] this year, and Bego [Asmir Begovic] last year; I’ve developed a lot as a keeper. I’m miles better than I was 18 months ago.”
Crellin has enjoyed working alongside Everton’s strong crop of goalkeepers, which includes England No.1 Jordan Pickford, and believes his development has been boosted by learning from their vast experience.
“I try to develop as much as I can to be the best goalkeeper I can be,” said Crellin. “I’ve picked up little things off Jordan, Asmir, and Loners because they’ve played so many games between them. I’ve developed in every area, with those one per cents that make you better.
“I pick up a lot of things off Jordan and watch how he handles certain situations, which hopefully, one day I’ll be in, and I’ll know what to do. I speak to him all the time about little things and he’s helpful.”
Crellin, who featured in England’s Under-17 World Cup-winning campaign in 2017, made his senior debut for League One side Fleetwood in October 2018.
Alongside first-team appearances at Fleetwood, Crellin experienced loan spells at FC United of Manchester, Chorley, and Bolton Wanderers.
As of result, he understands the benefits of gaining minutes in men’s football through the loan system, and revealed his short-term plans include trying to secure more temporary moves in the near future.
“I’ve been on loan a couple of times, so I understand what it means to play league football,” Crellin added. “Hopefully, I can go on loan and get that feeling of playing at three o’clock on a Saturday.
“[I’d like to] get to January and go out and play some games on loan to show everyone here at the Club what I can do. Then come back next season and go from there.
“After that, I’ll see where I’m at, and then hopefully, be No.1 in the future.”
Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, said: “Billy has made excellent progress during his time at the Club and we are looking forward to him continuing his development with us.
“As a boyhood Evertonian, he loves the Club, has a great attitude and is keen to keep learning, which we have no doubt he will keep doing working with our talented crop of goalkeepers.”
