Stekelenburg to join Ajax at conclusion of Everton's Premier League campaign | OneFootball

Maarten Stekelenburg has signed a short-term extension with Everton but will leave for Ajax at the end of the season.

Veteran goalkeeper Stekelenburg's contract had been set to expire at the end of June, but he will remain at Goodison Park for an extra month after the Premier League's end date was pushed back following the coronavirus-enforced shutdown.

The 37-year-old, a World Cup runner-up with Netherlands in 2010, has signed a one-year deal with Ajax from August 1 and will leave the Toffees after their final top-flight fixture of 2019-20 against Bournemouth on July 26.

Stekelenburg started his professional career at Ajax in 2002 and won three Eredivisie titles and the KNVB Beker on three occasions during a nine-year spell.

"I am very happy to be able to return to Ajax, the club where it all started for me," Stekelenburg said in a statement.

"As a family we really wanted to go back to the Netherlands this year and I was really only hoping for one club.

"After good conversations with Marc Overmars and Erik ten Hag, it was clear to me. I'm really looking forward to it."

Ajax's director of football Overmars said: "Maarten Stekelenburg is not only a well-known name, but also a goalkeeper we can use here.

"He will be one of the three goalkeepers in the A-team from August. I think he adds quality on the pitch and given his age and experience he is also going to create better balance in our squad."

After stints at Roma, Fulham, Monaco and Southampton, he arrived at Everton in 2016 and has made 26 appearances for the club, primarily serving as back-up to England number one Jordan Pickford.