Everton manager Roberto Martinez is desperate to offer right-back Seamus Coleman a new deal as a reward after his superb season at Goodison Park, but also to keep potential buyers at bay, as reports suggest Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City are all interested in the Irishman.
The Toffees have got a whole host of young talent coming through in Merseyside, and Martinez is desperate to keep hold of them all so that he can build a team around them, but when the likes of Arsenal, City and United come in for them, the chances are they will jump at the chance just to play at the highest level.
Coleman has had a real breakthrough season under Martinez and has found a new attacking role from right-back which has seen him add goalscoring to his game, but with the Summer transfer window just a few months away, bigger clubs are preparing to make bids for the promising right-back.
Arsenal are fearing that current right-back Bacary Sagna will leave the club on a free once his contract expires, whilst United and City both want to add more talent to their sides, but Martinez is standing strong and insists that he will not be selling his stars this Summer.
He said: “We won’t offer encouragement to any club over Seamus. He is on a long-term contract and we want to ensure we grow together and we need players like Seamus.
“Yes, it is the intention to offer him a new contract. We are already thinking about Seamus, Ross (Barkley) and John Stones. We want to reward them, even James McCarthy.
“That is something we will look at this summer. They are players with long-term contracts. It is not a decision just to keep them at the club; it just highlights the next step of their development and rewards them for their performances.
“Seamus has got a long-term contract. James and Ross are the same. But we want to reward them.”
“We hope they will feel excited about developing with the football club and I think with the young players we have got in the club – Seamus, Ross, James McCarthy – they are footballers I believe to be of the highest, highest level.
“We need to grow together. The way we work at the club, there is a structure in the salaries and everything goes down to your role at the club.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
