Marco Silva hopes Idrissa Gueye will remain at Everton amid PSG interest

Posted Wednesday, January 30, 2019 by PA

Everton boss Marco Silva has not given up on Paris St Germain target Idrissa Gueye staying at Goodison Park.

Silva insisted he had not been told of any new offer from PSG for the midfielder and that he had left him out of Tuesday night’s 1-0 win at Huddersfield due to a groin injury.

Gueye is reported to have handed in a written transfer request after the French club had a bid of £21.5million turned down by the Merseysiders.

“He had a minor problem with his groin,” Silva said after Richarlison’s early goal had lifted Everton up to eighth in the table.

“We tried to be honest with all of you and with our fans. After the match I tried to find out if something new has happened because I expected your question and there’s nothing new.

“He has a minor problem with his groin. No new offers and hopefully he can continue with us.

“I don’t know about a new offer or not. Nobody has told me. We were in the hotel last night preparing for the game, fully focused on the match.

“I know the market is open until January 31, it’s always tough for us, but about the new offer, £30million, nothing came true.

“I asked 10 minutes ago if there was something new, but there is not.”

Silva felt his side deserved all three points at the John Smith’s Stadium after playing the final 24 minutes with 10 men.

Substitute Lucas Digne was shown a straight red card by referee Stuart Atwell after tripping Adama Diakhaby.

“We showed a strong character and you need that when you are not at your best moment of the season,” Silva added.

“We started the game strong, fast and we scored the early goal.

“It wasn’t a perfect performance from both teams and it wasn’t maybe the best game to watch to be honest. But we deserved the three points.”

Everton were indebted to goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who kept out Huddersfield substitute Aaron Mooy’s second-half free-kick and then pulled off an even better save to turn away Elias Kachunga’s header.

Town boss Jan Siewert’s first game in charge ended in the club’s 10th defeat in their last 11 Premier League matches, but the 36-year-old German was upbeat.

“First of all I’m disappointed, but I’m also very positive and thankful that the lads got my ideas so quickly as we could not have had a worst start,” the former Borussia Dortmund II manager said.

“After that, we created chances and had possibilities and now I definitely know why Pickford is England’s number one goalkeeper.”

Siewert said he had plenty of positives to take having only replaced David Wagner eight days ago.

He added: “(The players) being low on confidence and then conceding a goal and then coming back with chances and having possibilities to win the game made me really proud.”