Soccer-Skipper Jagielka to leave Everton after 12 seasons

Everton captain Phil Jagielka is to end his 12-year stay at the Premier League club following the end of his contract in the close season, the defender said on Tuesday in a social media post. The 36-year-old, who arrived at Goodison Park from Sheffield United in 2007, has made 385 appearances in all competitions for Everton scoring 19 goals.

"It's been hard to confirm my situation for next season as that decision hadn't been fully made by the club until now," England international Jagielka said on Instagram. "Unfortunately my journey at Everton has come to an end after 12 fantastic seasons, I have been lucky enough to play over 380 games and... be club captain for six years.

"All I can say is thanks to all the players I've played alongside, all the staff that have helped me in their own way, the chairman and of course the amazing fans." Jagielka was limited to seven league appearances last season after dropping down the pecking order as Marco Silva's Everton finished eighth in the league with 54 points.

The centre back proved to be Everton's unlikely hero after scoring his only goal of the league campaign in a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in April. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Toby Davis)

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