No need for Everton to sell, says Kenwright

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright said today that new manager Roberto Martinez will not be obliged to sell players in the transfer window, although he admits the club may struggle to retain the services of Marouane Fellaini.

Belgian midfielder Fellaini has a £24 million ($37.2 million, 28.2 million euros) buy-out clause in his contract, prompting speculation that he could follow former Everton manager David Moyes to Manchester United or be brought in at Chelsea by incoming manager Jose Mourinho.

However, while Kenwright would be powerless to prevent the club’s £15 million record signing from leaving Goodison Park if the clause is triggered, he says Martinez does not have to worry about any other players leaving the club.

“He talked about a couple of new signings and he talked about the squad and asked ‘Do they need to go?’” said Kenwright of his discussions with Martinez, who signed a four-year contract on Wednesday.

“I said ‘No, they absolutely do not have to go’, (although) there is one that has a get-out, which everyone knows.”

Kenwright also promised Martinez that any money raised by player sales would be made available for new signings.

“We are desperate to find new owners and new investment, but he will get support from everyone at the club and all the financial support, and by that I mean if he sells someone, he won’t get 80 per cent of that, he’ll get 100 per cent,” Kenwright said.

“Plus he has a certain amount of money for the transfer window which David was going to have.”