Everton transfer news: Tim Howard to leave Toffees for MLS side Colorado Rapids at end of the season

Everton have confirmed their goalkeeper Tim Howard will leave the club at the end of the season and make a switch to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Colorado Rapids in the summer. After moving to Goodison Park from Manchester United on loan in 2006, the 37-year-old made a permanent switch to the Merseyside club a year later.

"Tim Howard insists he will remain an Evertonian for life following confirmation that after 10 years at Goodison he is to join Colorado Rapids in MLS at the end of this season," a statement on Everton's official website said.

Howard will leave Everton after making over 400 appearances for the Toffees. The US international admitted that he will be a lifelong Evertonian after confirming the time was right for him to end his time in England.

"I will remain an Evertonian for life. This will always be my team, my Club. I sacrificed so much to play the amount of games I have over a 10-year period, so I will continue to support this Club that I love," the former United stopper explained.

"The club is amazing, I love it and I will always be an Everton player. I have been at Everton 10 years and it's been a brilliant 10 years.

"I spoke to my family, I spoke to Roberto and I spoke to the Chairman, Bill Kenwright. We had really great discussions and we all felt this was the right move and the right time. They supported my decision, they have always been 100% committed to me and they appreciated the fact that it's time for me to go back home and play my football," he stressed.

The ex-Red Devils goalkeeper has made a club-record 352 appearances for the Goodison Park outfit. Out of these, he has kept 115 clean sheets, which is the fourth highest in England's top flight club football competition for a single club. Everton manager Roberto Martinez was in full praise of Howard's contribution to the club.

"His contribution over the last 10 years has been very consistent and his figures reflect that - the amount of clean sheets he has achieved in the Premier League, the amount of games he has played. He will always be remembered and the figures will be given a bigger respect once he is gone and we all look back at his achievements," Everton boss said.