Fresh from helping Everton Under-23s win the Premier League 2 title, Joao Virginia is now targeting a Premier League debut for the Blues.
The summer signing from Arsenal is yet to make his first team debut, but was unused substitute for Everton's EFL Cup meetings with Rotherham United and Southampton while he made an unofficial appearance in the SportPesa Cup final against Gor Mahia back in November.
Featuring predominantly for David Unsworth's second-string, the Portugal Under-21s international has made 12 Premier League 2 appearances this season with Monday's victory over Brighton the latest of nine clean sheets.
Meanwhile, he's only conceded six league goals, and four of them came in a seven-goal thriller against Manchester City earlier this month.
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Such form has not gone unnoticed with ECHO Everton reporter Phil Kirkbride believing the goalkeeper is destined for a place in the Blues first team.
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After the Under-23s' victory over Brighton, he wrote: "Virginia looks destined for a future with the first-team. Though he didn't have a great deal to do this evening, his performances have impressed this term, with Unsworth commenting some have been the best he's seen from a goalkeeper at this level."
And it appears Blues boss Marco Silva shares this view with Virginia revealing how closely they are following his progress as he eyes up a potential Everton debut.
"Marco Silva has enjoyed my evolution and is always following me, just like Hugo Oliveira," he told O Jogo.
"They both talk a lot to me and one of the main developments I had was in consistency.
"An example of this was, in eleven games, to have nine clean sheets.
“I now want to make my debut in the Premier League.”
Marco Silva was asked by the ECHO about first-team chances for the under-23s HERE
With undisputed first-choice goalkeeper Jordan Pickford enduring mixed fortunes this year, and reserve shot-stopper Maarten Stekelenburg nearing his 37th birthday ahead of his Blues contract expiring in 2020, a first team call-up for Virginia could come sooner rather than later.
