Leighton Baines has admitted his relief at committing his future to Everton FC – and immediately set his sights on helping bring success to the club.
The Blues announced yesterday that the England defender had signed a new four-year contract to remain at Goodison until 2018.
It brings to an end months of speculation after former manager David Moyes twice failed in his efforts to take the 29-year-old left-back with him to Manchester United last summer
Baines said: “I am very happy at Everton and always have been. It’s a fantastic football club and I am excited about what we can achieve here in the next few years.
“I have a great relationship with the chairman and also the manager, the staff, the rest of the lads and, of course, the supporters.
“I’ve loved every minute of being here since I first joined in 2007 and I couldn’t be happier. “
Despite the previous uncertainty over his future, the Kirkby-born defender insists that he never allowed it to affect his performances for Everton.
“Was it a distraction? Not for me, no,” he said. “I am a professional footballer and speculation is part and parcel of the industry we are in but it never affected me for a moment on the pitch.
“Of course it was on my mind at times away from pitch because I was getting asked about it everywhere I went but I hope the supporters could see that I didn’t let it affect me at all once I crossed the white line.
“I’ve never been one to relish the limelight so I suppose I’m glad that the speculation will go away now.”
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Everton FC’s Leighton Baines in 29 moments
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Everton are in the last-16 of the FA Cup and can move back up to fourth place in the Premier League table with victory over rivals Liverpool tonight.
“There is a really confident buzz about the place just now and that’s being reflected in our performances,” Baines added.
“We’re well-placed in the Premier League, we’re in the fifth round of the FA Cup and although we’ve got a few injuries, we feel as though we are ready for every challenge.
“The ambition is to bring some success to the club. That’s what all the lads want and that’s what we’re all working together for. The Everton fans deserve success and I am just happy to be in the privileged position of being able to try and provide some for them.”
Roberto Martinez played a instrumental part in persuading Baines to commit himself to the Toffees, and he insists the man twice named the club’s player of he season can fulfil his ambition of Champions League football with Everton.
“What we want to do is make sure we’re a team that can achieve the aims of all our players,” Martinez told the ECHO.
“If you only have players who are happy to stay in the league, that’s all you will achieve. We want players who want to play in the Champions League and win trophies.
“As a consequence we all benefit. It’s the key to have individuals who are moved by aspiration and Leighton is the perfect example of that.
“You talk about January signings coming into the club but no signing will be bigger than keeping Leighton with his best years ahead of him.”
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