- Vitalii Mykolenko has extended his contract with Everton until 2029.
- Arrived from Dynamo Kyiv in January 2022 and has been a starting player since.
- He has played over 30 matches in his last four seasons with the club.
Vitalii Mykolenko has agreed a new three-year deal with Everton, that will keep him at the club until 2029.
He arrived in January 2022 with then head coach Rafa Benitez, opting to replace Lucas Digne with the Ukrainian international from Dynamo Kyiv.
The left back was thrusted straight into action for the Toffees, and has been a starting man since.
News of his extension has produced mixed views, but David Moyes evidently views the defender as a key man to his plans.
Vitalii Mykolenko wants Europe and a trophy
After Everton confirmed Mykolenko’s extension, the full back spoke to the club and made his intentions clear that he wants to contribute to the Blues’ rebuild.
He said: “In the first few years of my time here we were struggling, but our team, as a family – every person in the building gave everything to get through it.
“What we have now is stronger and we are getting better every season.
“It’s been a good journey for me so far and now I think we are taking steps in the right direction to get higher and higher in the table.
“I like to have realistic dreams… winning a trophy or maybe a European trophy, as some other teams have done in the past few years.
“Individually, just to play every single game, and be consistent as Jimmy [Garner] was this season.”
Mykolenko featured in 33 league matches this season, and has only played less than 30 games in one of his four full seasons on Merseyside.
Vitalii Mykolenko is important to Everton’s long term goal
Although his attacking output as a full back does not match the requirements of modern day football, Mykolenko remains an important cog to Moyes’ machine.
The target for Everton in the 2026-27 campaign is to reach Europe, and one of the reasons they were not able to achive that in the most recent season, is their lack of depth.
There is a possibility that another left back is signed, so they can compete for Mykolenko’s starting role in the XI.
But regardless of what the 27-year-old’s role is for the Toffees, he brings the reassurance of a defender with Premier League experience, and a degree of reliability to Everton’s back line.
Supporters want to see exciting football at the Hill Dickinson, and while Mykolenko has not offered the same flair as Lucas Digne or Leighton Baines, he still maintains an important role for the future.
