Roberto Martinez adamant Bill Kenwright will do the best for Everton amid takeover talk

EVERTON manager Roberto Martinez believes chairman Bill Kenwright will safeguard the club’s future if he sells to American investors.

 

Roberto Martinez is adamant Bill Kenwright will only sell Everton if it is the right thing to do

 

John Jay Moores and Charles Noell are in talks over a potential £200m takeover at Goodison Park, which would bring to an end Kenwright’s 16 years as the helm.

Moores, the former owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team, and Noell have entered a period of exclusivity as they attempt to buy Everton, and are set to carry out due diligence on the club’s accounts in the coming weeks.

The pair had previously shown an interest in buying Swansea, but have now shifted their focus to Merseyside.

Kenwright, a boyhood Everton fan, has come in for criticism from fans over a perceived lack of investment.

Martinez said: “We all know what a fantastic chairman we have. Our board will always look for the best in the interests of our club.

 

“Going forward, we have an exciting team, and the youth and talent we have in our dressing room, reflects the spirit in the boardroom.

“The chairman will always look for the best for Everton. Whatever happens in the future is going to be good. We’re in a great position, and the football club is in the best possible hands ever.”

Martinez, meanwhile, expects forward Steven Naismith to recover from an ankle problem in time for the Boxing Day trip to Newcastle.

And he has received four further injury boosts, with Steven Pienaar, Phil Jagielka, James McCarthy and Bryan Oviedo all set to return to action in the next three weeks.

Former South Africa captain Pienaar, who has been troubled by hamstring problems this season, has made just one first-team appearance in 2015 because of injury.

 

Phil Jagielka is back in training

 

Captain Jagielka, like Pienaar, is back in training after suffering medial knee ligament damage against Arsenal in October.

Midfielder McCarthy has been absent with a hip injury, and utility player Oviedo a hamstring problem.

Martinez said: “I expect them to play some part in the next seven games over three weeks. That’s a really busy period for us.

“It’s great news to have those players in a position where they’ve started to work with the group and we feel very confident that, in one way or another, they will be involved in some of those games as long as their match fitness comes along on the training ground.

“It’s very positive to see those big numbers coming back.”