Ronald Koeman said Everton will open talks over a fresh contract for Ross Barkley in the new year and added that no club is “knocking on the door” for his players.
Everton secured new deals on Friday for the veteran midfielder Gareth Barry, the defender Leighton Baines and the promising youngster Mason Holgate. Barry and Baines would have been out of contract at the end of this season – the reported four-year deal Baines signed in 2014 included a conditional final 12 months – while Barkley is under contract until 2018.
Negotiations have not yet commenced on an extension for Barkley, with the England international enduring a difficult season under Koeman. That has created speculation over the midfielder’s long-term future with his boyhood club. Tottenham Hotspur were linked with a bid this week but the Everton manager insisted the situation will be addressed after the hectic festive period.
Koeman said: “We know he has about 18 months left. That’s not the priority now. In the new year we will have talks about his situation and his future but the priority now is playing and winning and see what happens in January. I’m not interested in what is said about the future of players. There is no one knocking on the door now about players from Everton.”
The Everton manager confirmed Yannick Bolasie has had surgery on a damaged meniscus but must wait eight to 10 weeks for an operation on his anterior cruciate ligament. The winger could be sidelined for a year with the knee injury suffered against Manchester United this month.
