Silva refuses to comment on rumoured Everton interest in Batshuayi

Everton are back in Premier League action this weekend looking to improve on their lowly table position. They do face a difficult challenge though as Blues supporter Eddie Howe brings his AFC Bournemouth side to Goodison Park on Sunday with both sides tied on points.

Some of the key questions Silva had to answer were around some transfer rumours circulating lately, but he gave more detail on what he expected the Blues’ activity to be in January.

“We’ll see what we’ll do. It is something I am telling you every time we’re here talking about the situation.

“We did very good things in the summer. We clearly improved the squad and it is always in our minds. For us to do something in this market means we are improving our squad. It is not easy in January, and we spent some big money last summer.

“For us to do something, a player will leave the club. It’s not in our minds, but if we do something it’s because something happened in our squad.”

The Toffees have struggled at striker and have been linked with Chelsea’s wantaway striker Michy Batshuayi who has seen his loan spell at Valencia terminated.

“I don’t like to talk about players from other teams. What is important for me is our players and what I can do with our players.

“We are aware what has happened in the market, but it’s not a priority for us. It is my job and I have passed my idea to our board.”

Silva appeared to pour cold water on rumours that James McCarthy could leave on loan -

“This is not something in my mind. Kieran Dowell went to play more minutes, and the same situation with Mason Holgate.

“We have 22 players in our squad, plus the goalkeepers.”

Nikola Vlasic has also been talking to the media about how he ended up leaving on loan, and Silva was asked for his thoughts.

“We’ll see what happens in the future. When we, me and Vlasic, took the decision, I told him what is my idea and he told me his idea was to play ninety minutes every weekend. When we took the decision, it was a decision for him to go to play and become stronger for our club, become more ready to play and fight for what he wants and his aim as a football player, to play ninety minutes every weekend.

“That decision was his decision also. Let’s see what happens in the future.

“We did not send him on loan with a view to sell him, but for him to become stronger and see if he is ready to play like we want and like we expect.”