Everton to reassure Andrew Johnson on future
ANDREW JOHNSON is set to be reassured of his Everton future in the face of another round of speculation suggesting he is up for sale.
The 27-year-old became Everton's record signing two years ago when he joined for £8.6million from Crystal Palace but he has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park in every transfer window since.
Current reports are based on manager David Moyes's legitimate concerns that the government could refuse plans for Everton's new stadium and call a public inquiry, thus curtailing the amount of transfer business he can conduct in the summer window
But offloading Johnson to raise funds is not currently part of his plans despite, if reported interest from Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and West Ham comes to fruition, an offer in the region of £7m could be on the table.
The striker signed a new five-year contract last season, although Moyes is in the market to improve his forward line and up the comp-etition for places, as he did last summer when Yakubu overtook Johnson as the club's most expensive player.
Johnson himself has consistently maintained he is happy at Everton and towards the end of last season described speculation that he wants to leave as "absolute rubbish".
"I have recently signed a new deal at Everton, which I was delighted to do," he added.
"Of course there is competition for striking places here but I wouldn't have it any other way and neither would the manager.
"Stories like this make me really angry and I can only promise the fans that I love being at Everton, I am fully prepared to fight for a place in the side like everyone else in the squad and that leaving the club has never even entered my head.
"We've had a great season and I look forward to helping this club progress even more in the next few years."
Johnson hit 11 goals in his first season at Goodison Park and added 10 in the last campaign, although it was blighted by injury and the fact that he lost his place when Yakubu headed up a one-striker formation.
The Nigerian, meanwhile, has stated his belief that he will always prove his critics wrong and answer them in the best possible fashion - by scoring goals.
Yakubu had endured criticism form Nigerian supporters for failing to score in their three World Cup qualifiers before Saturday's game with Equatorial Guinea, but he silenced the doubters by scoring the opening goal as his country won 2-0.
"I believe in myself as a striker and I don't feel any pressure even when people talk, because I know I can score goals," said Yakubu, who suffered similar criticism when he initially struggled to hit his stride for Everton after joining from Middlesbrough.
"It happens in football. You play three, four games and you don't score and people start saying 'What is wrong with you?'. It's like you are under pressure, but for me I am not under pressure. I still believe the goals will come. If I get the chances I will score."
Moyes's priority in the window remains in midfield, where Poland's Mariusz Lewandowski was one player he had under consideration. How-ever, the 29-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk man has expressed his preference to join international team-mate Artur Boruc at Celtic. Lewandowski said: "I'm on holiday just now, but there are people dealing with this situation who I trust. Celtic are a big club and play regularly in the Champions League, so it would be a good place to play my football."
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