Squad Numbers released
Everton have officially released their squad numbers ahead of the new season.
Whilst the majority of the squad retain the same numbers as last season, new signings Tom Cleverley and Gerard Deulofeu will wear the number 15 and 19 shirts respectively.
John Stones has had his number change from 26 to five, following an impressive campaign alongside club captain Phil Jageilka at the heart of the Toffees’ defence.
McGeady going nowhere
Aiden McGeady will not be leaving Everton this summer, that’s according to manager Roberto Martinez.
The Toffees boss told talkSPORT that the Irish international is still a vital player for the team, even though the winger made just 14 appearances last season.
“With Aiden there is nothing. I wouldn’t like to go into every rumour and justify every rumour that is in the media, otherwise we would never finish,” said Martinez.
“Aiden McGeady is an exceptional footballer and he has a talent that is very important for our squad.
“All we need now is to find a solution to that niggling hamstring problem that he has been carrying and I hope that Aiden can enjoy his football.”
“There has not been a conversation with another club about a possible transfer. What I am looking for is for him to be fully fit.”
Martinez targeting Europe
Roberto Martinez has told BBC Sport that he hopes that Everton can make a swift return to European competition.
Despite the inability to replicate the team’s European displays with their domestic outings last season, Martinez is still hungry to play against what the continent has to offer once again.
“Does playing in the Europa League have an impact on the league? The answer is clearly yes,” Martinez said.
“But it is still our aim and one of our targets.
“It’s different when you are playing in Europe season after season. You get that mentality and habits and into a position where you can cope with it a lot better.
“Psychologically it’s very tough. Having to go to Russia on a Thursday and arriving back on a Friday afternoon to face Manchester United at Old Trafford for an early Sunday kick-off is a physical aspect that will affect you.
“We want to be in those situations, to be playing in Europe year after year but that is something that is becoming harder in our league as you can imagine.”
Garbutt going out on loan
Roberto Martinez hopes to send Luke Garbutt out on loan in the hopes that the young full back will develop his game with guaranteed first team action.
Garbutt signed a new five-year deal this summer, keeping him tied to the club until 2020.
However, Martinez feels the youngster is better off going out on loan in order to gain valuable first team experience.
With Leighton Baines and Bryan Oviedo ahead of him in the pecking order at Goodison Park, Martinez told evertonfc.com that he doesn’t mind seeing Garbutt in another Premier League side’s shirt, but only if the full back is a regular starter.
‘This pre-season will tell us a lot but the idea is for him to go out on loan and gain important experience,” said the Everton boss.
‘Luke feels this is a Club where he can fulfil his potential and we’re looking forward to seeing the best years of him once he’s had the experience of a good loan spell.
‘What’s important for Luke is to play. Just because we feel that he can play in the Premier League doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the right environment. We’re looking for him to get game time.
‘Luke is in a position now where he needs to experiment with the game and learn about the game, and you do that by playing.
‘If it’s in the Premier League it has to be an environment where he can play, if not we’ll find another team that suits exactly what he needs in order to develop.
New Away Kit
Everton have today released the new away kit for the 2015/16 season. It’ll be worn for the first time in the second game of the Barclays Asia Trophy on Saturday.
Striker Romelu Lukaku said, “The new away kit looks great. It’s fresh and smart and we are looking forward to wearing it in Singapore for the Barclays Asia Cup, as well as in the upcoming season.”
The kit goes on sale on the 29th of July.
