It has been released that Everton expect full back Leighton Baines to sign a new long term contract with the club after negotiations seemed to have resulted in a conclusion. The England left back has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park for some time now and his former manager David Moyes wanted to sign him in the last transfer window, however Everton fought off any bids.
This will be great news for the Everton fans and Roberto Martinez as there would a big hole in the Everton team if Baines decided to leave. Leighton Baines arrived from Wigan Athletic in 2007 for a fee of just under £6 million and has demonstrated a continuous improvement making the left back position his own.
Everton manager has made it clear since he joined the club that Leighton Baines would not be leaving, "In football you don't work long term, you go window to window and I can guarantee that Leighton will be here at the end of the season," Martinez told the press at the end of 2013. "That is 100 per cent.
"That is how you work from window to window, to have a stronger squad than previously. Leighton is vital for us in the second half of the season. Bryan Oviedo has been terrific, but we need Leighton and Bryan fit for us, if we are going to fight for our football dream."
This will be alien to some Everton fans with them used to hearing that their precious assets would be sold to level the financial problems and that was a usual occurrence under old boss David Moyes. However, Martinez has reiterated that Everton is in a good place economically. Everton travel to West Bromwich Albion tonight and a win will take them fourth and above rivals Liverpool. Everton were defeated at the Hawthorne’s 1-0 last season.