Phil Neville announced Tuesday morning that he is set to leave Everton Football Club at the end of his contract this summer.
The Everton captain has been at the club since 2005 and has proved himself as a top professional in the game – most football news outlets, such as Unibet, covered the story and speculated on his next club as no retirement announcement was made.
After eight years at Everton, Neville feels it is time for a new challenge and will start to look for new opportunities when his contract expires.
Neville has made 303 appearances for The Toffees in all competitions in his eight-year spell at the club and he led Everton out in the FA Cup Final in 2009 as captain.
Neville has won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and one Champions League, all with Manchester United before he moved onto Everton in search of more playing time on the pitch.
The former Manchester United man said: ‘It’s been an honour to play for and captain Everton Football Club. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time on Merseyside and will leave with immense pride.
‘I would like to thank the manager, chairman, all of the staff and the players at Everton for their continued support during my time at the club.
‘I’d also like to pay a special thanks to the fans, who have been amazing over the past eight years and Everton will always have a place in my heart.
Many have argued that Phil Neville is one of the main reasons for Everton’s continued growth and stability in challenging for a top four finish in the Premier League and David Moyes has said that the £3.5 million he spent on Phil Neville is one of the best pieces of business he has ever made.
There will be no shortage of clubs that will be looking for Phil Neville to join them next season as he looks to continue to play at the highest level of the game for a few more years yet.
The 35-year-old’s potential new clubs array from his local football team Bury FC to Aston Villa, a team that is crying out for Neville’s experience and knowledge of the game with such a young squad.
Of course he may decide that he wishes end his playing days and find himself as a football manager or coach. He is currently a coach for England’s Under-21’s and will be present for the Under-21 European Championships this summer in Israel.
Unless of course Neville decides to take a completely different path and walk away from the training pitch altogether and become a pundit just like his brother Gary.
Gary Neville has proved a hit with Sky Sports as a pundit and Phil may look to do the same by joining Sky, BBC’s Match of the Day or the new kids on the block BT Sport who will be broadcasting live Barclays Premier League games starting next season.
Whoever is lucky enough to obtain Neville’s services by the start of next season will be a very lucky club as the man will bring top professionalism, stability, leadership and hard work to any football club across the country.
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