Journalist Paul Brown has said that it is a 'worry' that Jordan Pickford has not yet signed a new contract at Everton, and that there may be a 'problem' in the background.

The Lowdown: Contract not signed

It was reported in December that the 28-year-old's future at Goodison Park is in doubt, despite agreeing a new five-year contract before heading off to the World Cup in Qatar with England.

The likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea are thought to be interested in signing him, with his current deal set to expire in 2024.

The Latest: Pickford 'worry'

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown has suggested that there may be a 'problem' going on in the background with regards to Pickford's contract situation, and it is a 'worry' in terms of his future at Everton going forward.

The journalist stated: “The Pickford situation is a bit strange because there was a lot of noise around him pre-World Cup that his contract was basically done, all agreed, it just needed signing off and, for whatever reason, that hasn’t happened.

“Sometimes clubs get players signed and they just don’t announce it for a few months for whatever reason, but I do think, in this case, there is some kind of problem that we haven’t been fully informed of yet, which is a bit of a worry.”

The Verdict: Depends on relegation

Whether Pickford stays or leaves is likely to depend on whether or not Everton get relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season.

They were given a major lift on Saturday as they beat league leaders Arsenal 1-0 in Sean Dyche's first game in charge, meaning that they are only in the relegation zone on goal difference.

Pickford played his part in keeping a clean sheet and has been vital for the Toffees all season, making the third-most (75) number of saves of all goalkeepers in the top flight so far.

Saturday's inspiring performance and result would have galvanised the group for the rest of the season, and if Everton manage to stay up, then it could persuade all parties to put pen to paper on a new deal for the 28-year-old.