BAINES WILL STAY

Despite being a target of Manchester United, defender Leighton Baines has said that he is very much looking forward to working with the Everton manager Roberto Martinez.

The Spaniard was appointed as the replacement for David Moyes, who left for United at the end of last season. Martinez comes on the back of the relegation with Wigan, but he also helped the club lift the FA Cup last season. Even though Moyes was at Everton for more than a decade, he failed to win any major trophy with the club.

Baines has only two years left on his current contract, which has led to a lot of speculation that he will finally be sold in the summer. Everton value the defender at around £ 16 million and United are expected to come in with an official bid shortly. Baines, though, is looking forward to working with Martinez, who is well known to have a style of football that tries to replicate Barcelona. Even though they were faced with relegation for most of his regime, Wigan did not leave their principal of playing beautiful and attractive football.

Moyes may have been successful, but it was not always built on the policy of passing football. Baines is very much looking forward to seeing Everton in this new style of play.
"He has a different style to what we have been used to but I think it is progressive and it will move us forward. It is also exciting for the players to be able to try that now. The style in general appeals to a lot of people. Wigan were a great side to watch - they just didn't win enough games. But the manager will be working with some better players here and he will be looking forward to that as well now, being able to put his plan out there," said Baines.