Roberto Martinez today pledged to award Leighton Baines a
new contract at Everton and hailed the defender as both irreplaceable and one
of the most influential in the club's history.
Baines was the subject of several bids from former
manager David Moyes at Manchester United this summer, prior to the transfer
window closing on Monday, but the Blues refused to entertain any offers from
the Premier League champions for the England international.
And with the 28-year-old's current deal at Goodison Park
set to expire in summer 2015, Everton boss Martinez is keen to reward the
Kirkby-born player, who arrived from Wigan six years ago, by ensuring he is a
permanent fixture at his boyhood club for years to come.
He said: "What's important is to show Leighton how
much we want him, how much we appreciate him and sometimes you need to do it
with actions as well, not just words - and that's going to be the case.
"It’s about looking for that football happiness and
I guarantee to everyone that Leighton will enjoy his football and his role at
the club.
"We need to make sure he understands that he is a
vital part of the football club and the team and sometimes that needs to be
rewarded from a contractual point of view, and we will do that."
During his time with Everton, Baines has emerged as one
of the leading left-backs both in the Premier League and internationally, but
despite United's interest throughout the course of the summer Martinez insists
there was never any real concerns of him leaving the club.
"Leighton is a vital player for us. We couldn't
replace a player like Leighton. There's been a lot of talk and a lot of
speculation, but it was never the case (of him leaving)," he added.
"Nobody met his valuation so we're just delighted
that he's with us and now we need to make sure he understands how important he
is for the football club and he needs to get that reward.
"From our point of view, I'm making sure that we're
ready for the competition ahead with, for me, one of the most influential
players in the history of Everton."
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