Marco Silva has asked veteran defender Leighton Baines to stay at Everton for another season.
Along with fellow Goodison stalwart Phil Jagielka, left-back Baines is going to be out of contract in the summer, and many Blues fans expect both to leave the club.
But manager Silva has already spoken with Baines, 34, about next season — he wants to use the former England defender’s experience to help guide the development of his young side.
Silva will also speak to Jagielka, also an ex-Three Lions international, in the next few days to gauge his position as he turns 37 this summer. There could be a contract offer covering the 2019-20 season for both men.
“It is not decided yet, of course," said the manager, whose Blues are in the fight to finish Best of the Rest below the Big Six after four wins in five games including a 4-0 thumping of Manchester United and victories over Chelsea and Arsenal. "When we have a decision about that, they will be the first ones to know.
“I already spoke with Leighton, Jags I will do in the next few days or weeks. Leighton knows what is my idea already, the idea of the club also and it is up to us to talk in the next few days and weeks to speak about this situation.
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“They have all the respect of ourselves. They are fully focused on what we want in our desire and our goal as a team. They are there, they are there working really hard for us to achieve what we want because it is the most important thing.
“You are talking about our captain, our sub captain they are really important players and they deserve all our respect.”
Both players have made just six Premier League appearances each this season, with Baines starting five times to Jagielka's four.
