Everton mustn’t be tempted by Ashley Williams contract extension

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Ashley Williams has been speaking about his future.

The defender is currently out on loan at Stoke City from Everton, where his contract will expire at the end of the season.

Williams was allowed to leave the club temporarily after the club brought in Yerry Mina from Barcelona and, at the eleventh hour, Kurt Zouma from Chelsea.

He has made 31 appearances for Stoke and began the season as a regular in the Potters’ backline. Recently though, he has lost his place in the side and has not started a game since February 2.

Speaking about what the near future might hold for him, Williams said (quoted by The Daily Mail): “There have been no conversations yet. I’ll sort my own future at the end of the season. It is like any other summer where you have to make decisions.

“I’m in a position now where I’m out of contract and I’ve been on loan at Stoke, we’ll have to decide what I’m going to do.”

TBR’s view

At the age of 34, Williams is very much nearing the end of his career.

He has had a decent playing career, but has been continually exposed since leaving Swansea City.

His time at Everton has been littered with defensive errors and for those reasons Everton must not be tempted into giving him a new deal – even if the Toffees fail to secure Kurt Zouma on a permanent deal.

As good as he was for Swansea, Williams – who has 85 caps for Wales and can add to that tally by featuring against Trinidad and Tobago and Slovakia – simply isn’t the same defender anymore.

He lacks mobility and his lapses can lead to the concession of chances and goals.

The correct decision would be to thank Williams for his service and move him on – an extension really would suggest a lack of ambition from a club who should be endeavouring to break into the top six.