The former Manchester United stopper, who played with Neville at Old Trafford, is currently away with the US national team on Gold Cup duty, but Neville has seen enough of his team-mate to already compare him with Goodison hero Neville Southall.

Neville told the club's official website: "Neville Southall is the best keeper to ever have played for Everton and the older generation will have tremendous memories of him.

"But we have got a keeper now who is more than capable of creating his own legacy. He can gives this team the kind of terrific protection and reassurance that Big Nev did back in the 1980s and early 1990s."