Kevin Mirallas: Tottenham transfer speculation ended after forward agrees new Everton deal
Belgium international had been strongly linked with an exit from Goodison Parkl
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Your support makes all the difference.Everton striker Kevin Mirallas has ended speculation over his future by signing a three-year deal that will keep him at Goodison until 2018.
Mirallas was linked with Tottenham and West Ham this summer, but the 27-year-old has opted to remain at Goodison Park.
“I’m very happy to sign. I’ve signed at Everton to win a trophy. I’m at a good team and I can continue my performances here,” the Belgium international said.
Mirallas had one year left on his contract, although Everton had the option to extend it for a further 12 months, and the news comes a day after James McCarthy committed himself to staying at the club.
The winger has scored 29 goals – 11 last season – in 85 starts and 25 substitute appearances since joining Everton for £6m from Olympiakos three years ago.
“Now I am very happy because I can concentrate on my team and our future,” Mirallas said.
The Everton manager, Roberto Martinez, feels the fixture list has been unkind to his side but has stressed the team must get momentum going early in their Premier League campaign.
Martinez’s men have to play each of the clubs that finished in last term’s top eight within their first 10 matches of the new season.
“Looking at the start of the season, probably the fixture list has not been too kind to us,” said Martinez, who wants to make three more new signings before the end of the transfer window. “But we are going to take it as being able to face a very strong challenge.
“We need to make sure we are strong enough. It is about making sure that as a team we are successful and do a lot better than we did in the league last season.”
That campaign was a disappointing one in the Premier League for Everton, who managed only an 11th-placed finish a year on from Martinez having guided them to fifth in his first term in charge.
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