Blunt Koeman ‘can’t understand’ why Niasse has not left

Oumar Niasse: Not left Goodison

Everton boss Ronald Koeman says that he can’t understand why striker Oumar Niasse has not left Goodison Park.

Niasse was bought for £13.5million by Roberto Martinez last January from Lokomotiv Moscow after scoring eight goals in 13 starts in the Russian Premier League. But he has only made two starts for Everton – in the final two games of the campaign.

The 26-year-old has been told by Koeman that he is not in his plans and he is yet to feature this season, but despite interest in him in the summer the player remains on Merseyside.

“Of course I mentioned before the season started that he’s a player who will not be in my plans but he’s still under contract and he needs game-time for if there is interest from other clubs,” Koeman told the Daily Mail.

“Normally, we have enough strikers and different strikers to what he is. I prefer these people and not Niasse in the team.

“That’s a question for the player [why Niasse hasn’t left the club].

“There was some interest in him but not the interest that he liked to have.

“It is all up to the player whether he doesn’t leave, I can’t understand it, but that is normal.

“Football players like to play football, that’s how I see it, and I explained to him why he was not in my plans for the season.”