Everton offer Baines another one-year deal

Everton have offered Leighton Baines a new 12-month deal, with the left-back’s current contract set to expire at the end of June.

Baines, 35, has made six appearances for the Toffees this season, three of which have come under Carlo Ancelotti, who has said the defender remains ‘really important’ to Everton.

Should Baines accept Everton’s offer, it would see him extend his stay with his boyhood club into a 14th season, having joined the Blues from Wigan Athletic in a £6 million deal in the summer of 2007.

Though he has lost his place as first-choice left-back to Lucas Digne in the last two seasons, Baines has still impressed hugely when called upon this term, particularly in March’s 1-1 home draw with Manchester United and when scoring a stunning late equaliser in the League Cup against Leicester.

As for Maarten Stekelenburg, Oumar Niasse and Cuco Martina, Everton’s other first team players out of contract on June 30, their futures are less clear.

With the Premier League season not set to finish until late July or early August, it remains to be seen whether they will have to commit to new deals to see out the remainder of the campaign.

All three are fringe players, with only Niasse having made a Premier League appearance for Everton this term, so it seems unlikely that any of them will be retained by the club.