Roberto Martinez says Chelsea target John Stones will lead Everton
into their "golden generation", and the defender "is not for sale".
Roberto Soldado has confirmed he is leaving Premier League Spurs to join La Liga side Villarreal this summer.
Flamini free to leave Arsenal, Villa and Everton want Fonte,
Man United don't want Otamendi but offer Evans plus cash for Stones,
Norwich lodge a tiny bid for Destro...
Roberto Martinez: Says Everton are not a
An upbeat Martinez spoke at Thursday's pre-match press
conference and reiterated his desire to hang on to one of his key
players and stated Everton are "not a selling club".
Chelsea have
made two bids for the centre-back Stones, the most recent for £25m, but
Jose Mourinho shows no signs of giving up his pursuit of the
21-year-old, while Manchester United and Manchester City have also been
linked with the England starlet.
"I have said before the
player is not for sale and that is the end of it," said Martinez. "Our
situation has been very clear from the beginning. We are not a selling
club who will lose our best performers.
"His performance at
the weekend was very strong and for a young man to come up with that
leadership is a real sign of what he is as a footballer.
"He
is very important player for us and we are looking forward to seeing
the best of John over the next few seasons, not just the next few
weeks."
Meanwhile, Mason Holgate's imminent arrival from
Barnsley, Stones' former club, for a reported initial £1m fee has
already seen comparisons made with the England international but
Martinez was keen to play those down.
"Mason, at 18, has already played 20 games in League One and that shows the potential he has," he said.
"We
seem to have agreed terms with Barnsley and he will be a phenomenal
young prospect coming into that golden generation we feel we have at the
club and he will be a good one for the future.
"Mason is a completely different type of player to John but in terms of personality and character they are very similar."
Everton
will also find out later on Thursday how long left-back Leighton Baines
is likely to be out after he re-injured the ankle he had an operation
on towards the end of last season.
"We will get the results
[of the scan] and we will get a clear idea of the problem," Martinez
said. "Because of the previous surgery he had in that area it is an
extra sensitive part of his body so we need to make sure we are clear
with the extent of the injury."
Roberto Soldado has confirmed he is leaving Premier League Spurs to join La Liga side Villarreal this summer.
Oriol Romeu: Featured for Chelsea in pre
It is understood the 23-year-old defensive-midfielder has agreed personal terms and completed a medical on Wednesday.
Saints,
who have been looking for another midfield player despite signing Jordy
Clasie to replace the departed Morgan Schneiderlin, who joined
Manchester United, are expected to announce Romeu's signing later on
Wednesday.
Romeu joined Chelsea in 2011 but has struggled to break
into their first team and has spent the past two seasons out on loan in
Europe.
He made 11 Premier League starts in his first season at
Stamford Bridge but just four during the 2012-13 season, and he joined
Valencia for the 2013-14 season where he made 17 appearances.
Romeu spent last term on loan at Stuttgart where he played 27 times and was an important part of the first team.
Romeu is a former Spain U23 that represented every level of his country's international set up from U17 until that level. QPR boss Chris Ramsey
is hopeful Charlie Austin will be in contention for selection at the
weekend after he sat out the Hoops' 3-0 Capital One Cup win over Yeovil.
Roberto Martinez says Chelsea target John Stones will lead
Everton into their "golden generation", and the defender "is not for
sale".
Roberto Soldado has confirmed he is leaving Premier League Spurs to join La Liga side Villarreal this summer.
Charlie Austin: Sat out Tuesday night's
Austin has been the centre of a summer storm of transfer
speculation, with a number of Premier League suitors eyeing up his
services.
But it was a new summer signing - hoping to cement the
striker's place as his own - who opened the scoring on Tuesday night as
young German Sebastian Polter made the most of Stephen Arthurworrey's
error to slot home.
It was a comfortable night for QPR at Huish
Park ahead of their weekend clash with Cardiff, thanks to further goals
from Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and captain Nedum Onuoha, who was singled out
for praise by the manager.
Ramsey said: "It was Nedum's 100th
appearance and he is leading by example, I was really pleased. I thought
Sebastian Polter worked his socks off up front and pushed to make that
position his.
"It was a job well done in what could have been a
potential banana skin. I was a bit more animated than I would have been
at 3-0 because I wanted to make sure we stayed professional and didn't
let them score.
"Charlie Austin had treatment today so I hope he's
going to be fit (at the weekend), he is one that you need to be fit and
pushing for a good performance.
"I think that he has not rocked
the boat and not made disturbances in the changing room, asking to leave
or anything so I am hoping he will be in contention to be picked.
"We had nine full debuts tonight so it's always hard to gel into a team, but I think we are in that process." Yeovil manager Paul Sturrock bemoaned a combination of individual errors and a growing injury list for his side's second defeat in four days.
The
Scot said: "We can't legislate for individual mistakes. Stephen
(Arthurworrey) is a bit down in there and so he should be, he has been
involved in a couple of goals lately. It is costing us dear and we cant
get started when we are chasing the game.
"I thought in the first
half we lost two bad goals and the heads went down. We came out in the
second half and were a bit more positive and, at the end of the day,
could maybe have got a goal back.
"I've got about six players
injured at the minute who would probably be starting. It's difficult to
get a settled team to the standard I'm looking for.
"The only
place we can sort this is on the training ground, nowhere else. But the
trouble is I've only got about 15 players to choose from - it's a bit
disappointing the way it's turning out for us at the moment."
France international Mathieu Valbuena has signed for Lyon on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
Mathieu Valbuena played just one season
The 30-year-old forward has joined last season's Ligue 1
runners-up after just one season in the Russian Premier League with
Dynamo Moscow.
Valbuena arrived at Dynamo just 12 months ago in a
deal though to be around £6m from Marseille. However, the winger is now
returning to French football after passing a medical at the Stade de
Gerland on Tuesday night.
"I don't regret anything with Dynamo
Moscow where everything went well the first season but for my second
year, the sporting objectives were no longer in line with what I
wanted," said Valbuena.
"We know Lyon's level after a very good
2015 season and also qualifying for the Champions League. All that
played a role in my decision.
"I'm delighted to join Lyon. I arrive with a lot of humility and ambition to win titles, to bring experience.
"I was keen to return to France and with the interest shown by Lyon, I jumped at the chance."
Valbuena,
who has made 48 international appearances for France, hopes the move
back to his homeland will increase his chances of making Didier
Deschamps' Euro 2016 squad.
"Obviously a European Championship or a
World Cup is something very important. The French team, I've never
denied it is my engine," said Valbuena.
"It's something very
important to play for your country. I didn't hesitate a single second to
return with so many objectives for this year which looks like being
very exciting."
Balotelli has been criticised for both his attitude and
lack of application but the Spanish left-back has delivered a ringing
endorsement of his qualities
Balotelli has been criticised for both his attitude and
lack of application but the Spanish left-back has delivered a ringing
endorsement of his qualities
Kopping it: Balotelli has endured a lot of criticism since joining LiverpoolAlberto Moreno has leapt to the defence of Mario Balotelli as he insisted the Liverpool striker has been harshly treated by his critics.
Balotelli is expected to leave before the end of the transfer window
having been told by boss Brendan Rodgers he’s surplus to requirements at
Anfield, report the Liverpool Echo.
The Italy international, who has been training with Fabio Borini and
Jose Enrique away from the first-team squad, scored just four goals in
28 appearances last season. Stoke City vs Liverpool: Best pictures
Balotelli has been criticised for both his attitude and lack of
application but Spanish left-back Moreno has delivered a ringing
endorsement of his qualities.
“I think he’s unfairly maligned,” Moreno said.
“He’s a very relaxed guy. He never bothers anyone. He could be a great striker. He’s got the tools.
John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
“Things haven’t gone well for him here. He’s really struggled to
score goals. ‘This had never happened to me before,’ he told me.
“I wish him the best if he ends up leaving because he’s a great lad.”
Kopping it: Balotelli has endured a lot of criticism since joining LiverpoolAlberto Moreno has leapt to the defence of Mario Balotelli as he insisted the Liverpool striker has been harshly treated by his critics.
Balotelli is expected to leave before the end of the transfer window
having been told by boss Brendan Rodgers he’s surplus to requirements at
Anfield, report the Liverpool Echo.
The Italy international, who has been training with Fabio Borini and
Jose Enrique away from the first-team squad, scored just four goals in
28 appearances last season. Stoke City vs Liverpool: Best pictures
Balotelli has been criticised for both his attitude and lack of
application but Spanish left-back Moreno has delivered a ringing
endorsement of his qualities.
“I think he’s unfairly maligned,” Moreno said.
“He’s a very relaxed guy. He never bothers anyone. He could be a great striker. He’s got the tools.
John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
“Things haven’t gone well for him here. He’s really struggled to
score goals. ‘This had never happened to me before,’ he told me.
“I wish him the best if he ends up leaving because he’s a great lad.”
No comments:
Post a Comment