Leighton Baines is out of contract at the end of the season, and it could be the end of the former England international’s career on Merseyside.
At 35-years-old and with Lucas Digne ahead of him, Baines has been limited to just two substitute appearances this season. With his playing career coming to an end, the only foreseeable way he may stay with the Toffees is in a coaching role at the Premier League club. But don’t rule out a Wigan return as a swansong to what has been a glorious career.
The left-back has been with Everton since joining in 2007, after having been on rivals Liverpool’s books during his youth career. But while he was away from Merseyside, the full-back helped the Latics gain promotion from the third tier and then a couple of years later to the Premier League.
Since joining Everton Baines has been a stalwart at the club for over a decade and he has made 342 appearances in the Premier League era for the Toffees. He is behind only Leon Osman and Tim Howard, needing 12 more to equal the goalkeeper’s record for Everton in the Premier League.
Meanwhile internationally Baines made 30 England appearances and was selected for the Euro 2012 and 2014 World Cup squads. it is astonishing, he was able to make so many appearances for the Three Lions considering his rival for the left-back spot was Ashley Cole, arguably England’s greatest of all time. Domestically the pair helped change the role of what was expected of full-backs, bursting forwards in the wing-back mould which has become so prevalent in the modern era.
The creativity of the Everton left-back cannot be disputed, and he has recorded the most assists in Premier League history of any player who has spent their entire career in defence, 53. From any dead ball scenario his left foot was, and probably still is, lethal having scored 42 goals throughout his career.
With a significant amount of turbulence at Everton, it might be wise to give Baines a year’s extension or to keep him on in some capacity. He is an experienced head who knows the club better than most, but with the end of his career on the horizon, the ex-England international may search for first-team opportunities elsewhere.
