PHIL JAGIELKA hopes Everton FC can keep Marouane Fellaini at Goodison Park – but knows a big money offer could force the club’s hand.
Fellaini produced a powerful display at Wembley on Saturday but could not prevent Belgium slipping to defeat against England.
Roy Hodgson’s side completed their preparations for the European Championships with a 1-0 win thanks to Danny Welbeck’s first-half strike but were left counting the cost as Gary Cahill became the latest injury casualty.
A double fracture of his jaw means the Chelsea centre-half will miss out in Poland and Ukraine but that misfortune increases the chances of Jagielka adding to his 12 caps.
John Terry was taken off with a slight hamstring problem during the second half so England played the final 20 minutes with former Everton pairing Jagielka and Joleon Lescott at the heart of their defence.
The duo also helped ensure England kept a clean sheet in Hodgson’s first game in charge last weekend against Norway and Jagielka believes that because their partnership was forged over two seasons at Everton, it sets them apart from other combinations.
Jagielka replaced Terry on Saturday at a time when the game started to open up and with Belgium pressing hard for the equaliser.
Full-back Guillaume Gillet struck the outside of the post with a rasping half volley and Fellaini tested goalkeeper Joe Hart from close range, but England would hold onto their lead.
But Jagielka knows club-mate Fellaini helped put the Three Lions under serious pressure and several of his national team-mates commented on how well the former Standard Liege man played.
Twenty-five-year-old Fellaini was bought for a club record £15m in 2008 and Jagielka knows that if Everton are offered the chance to make a sizeable profit on their investment, then they may have to take it.
Latest football news and rumours brought to you every minute of every day. For more like this subscribe to the RSS feed. To get a great offer see here for more Everton DVDs and Blueray.