Mason Holgate’s 2019-20 season is one that few saw coming.



Just last season, with regular first-team chances at Goodison few and far between, Holgate was largely plying his trade as a right wing-back on loan at West Brom.



Upon his return to Goodison Park in the summer, Everton pursued deals for Kurt Zouma and then Fiyako Tomori (on loan) as Marco Silva sought another central defender to compete with Michael Keane and Yerry Mina.



Had either of those moves come off, Holgate would likely have started the campaign as fourth-choice and in a state of limbo as far as his next steps were concerned.



Two transfer windows later, however, the former Barnsley defender finds himself indispensable to Carlo Ancelotti, starting 10 of the last 11 games and recently signing a new contract on improved terms through to 2025.



The new deal was just rewards for a breakthrough season in which he has won the trust of a succession of managers and has arguably...