Liverpool, June 29 (IANS) Dominic Calvert-Lewin has confirmed that he will leave Everton at the end of his current contract on July 1 as a free agent.

The English striker had joined the Toffees from Sheffield United in 2016 and has gone on to score 71 goals across 274 first-team appearances.

“After nine remarkable years at this club, l’ve made the incredibly difficult decision-together with my family-to begin a new chapter in my career. This isn’t something I chose lightly. Everton has been my home since I was 19 years old.

“It’s the place that saw potential in me, challenged me to grow, and shaped me both as a footballer and as a man. I want to express my gratitude to all the managers and coaches l’ve worked with over the years, and to my teammates who have become lifelong friends,” he posted on Instagram.

Calvert-Lewin has been capped by England on 11 occasions and was a prolific scorer before injuries hampered his career. Once highly sought after, with clubs like Newcastle and Arsenal interested in his signature, A broken toe in the 2021-22 season saw him miss 126 days. Three separate spells on the sidelines citing hamstring injuries in the following season saw ‘DCL’ out for a combined 162 days.

After having scored 16 league goals in the league in 2020/21, the Englishman only conjured up a combined 15-goal tally across the following four seasons.

“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve shared, fighting for this club when it mattered most, scoring big goals in crucial moments, wearing the shirt with commitment and pride.

“My hope is that I leave with your respect, knowing I always sought to uphold the values of this great club. Thank you for everything. From my very first day, I always knew what it meant to play for Everton,” the striker signed off.

–IANS

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