Five players who Everton must keep at Goodison Park this summer.
After a hugely impressive season under Roberto Martinez, Everton are still facing an uphill struggle to qualify for the Champions League, with Arsenal favourites for fourth.
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If the Toffees miss out, several of their stars could attract interest from some bigger clubs and chairman Bill Kenwright has proved willing to sell in order to balance the books in the past.
But if the club want to challenge again next season, they must keep hold of these five stars:
Seamus Coleman
Top class full-backs are tough to find and the Irishman has it all: bags of energy, technique, an eye for goal and defensive awareness. Both Arsenal and Man United are reportedly sniffing around the 25-year-old but the Toffees should resist the temptation to sell. If he keeps improving under Roberto Martinez, Coleman will comfortably be one of the best defenders in the league next season.
Leighton Baines
See above. Everton could have a bottomless pit of cash but they’d still struggle to find a better left back than Baines, who remains the heartbeat of the Toffees’ side. Man United are likely to be interested in Baines again in the summer but Everton should resist not sell at any price, even if the Red Devils offer a fee close to the £27.5m they paid for Marouane Fellaini.
Ross Barkley
The youngster has enhanced his reputation massively this season and could earn further recognition if he is included in Roy Hodgson’s England World Cup squad. Like Wayne Rooney before him, Barkley has the talent to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world but Everton should look to build a team around him.
John Stones
Like Barkley, the youngster has got plenty of attention since breaking into the Everton first team and has already been tipped as a future England star. Arsenal and Chelsea are though to admire the 19-year-old centre half, who has not looked out of place against the Premier League’s finest. But with Phil Jagielka getting on and Sylvain Distin 36, Stones is the future for Everton, who must not sell.
Kevin Mirallas
The Belgian isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but eight goals and eight assists in the league is testament to how much he produces for Everton. At 26, Mirallas is coming into his prime and a strong World Cup could see his stock rise further, and lead to interest from bigger clubs. But Everton would have to pay a lot of money to find a capable replacement and they should hold onto Mirallas, rather than sell.