Ben Godfrey’s £25m move to Everton will “dramatically help” York City survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Minstermen negotiated a 10 per cent sell on clause in the £150,000 deal that took Godfrey from York to Carrow Road in 2016.

York are waiting to find out what that exact figure amounts to but chairman Jason McGill said it will be the largest transfer-related fee the club has ever received, eclipsing the £950,000 Sheffield Wednesday paid for Richard Cresswell in 1999.

“I’ve sent him a text wishing him all the best for his future,” McGill told the Yorkshire Post. “With his determination and strength of character he’s really done it on his own merit.

“The monies we’ll receive will dramatically help the football club. It will become the largest transfer-related fee York City Football Club has received.

“The figure’s undisclosed so we’re trying to get the exact deal down in writing from Norwich but it is significant and we had a very good sell-on clause of 10 per cent which I negotiated in 2016.

“We’ve already had monies from the deal with Ben because built into the contract between York and Norwich there have been some milestones reached and the football club get a fee each time. It’s things like if he plays for England Under-21s, makes so many appearances in the Championship and the Premier League (all things he did at Norwich), it has built up since 2016.

“For the football club, it’s been a really good deal.”

For York, who lost out to King’s Lynn Town last season on points-per-game for the National League North title, before losing in the play-offs, the money couldn’t have come at a better time.

“You only have to look at the football club’s accounts to see that we do lose significant monies year on year and especially at this time under the covid-19 pandemic, which has had a dramatic effect on all football clubs especially through the lack of gate receipts,” added McGill.

“It’s come at a really good time for York City because it will give us financial stability going forward. It’s a really good start to the week.”