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Ronald Koeman insists Oumar Niasse still has no future at Everton despite a scoring appearance for the second string.

Niasse was a surprise inclusion for the Blues’ under-23s against Arsenal on Monday night and he bagged their third goal in a 5-0 rout.

The Senegal international has been training with David Unsworth’s squad for the past couple of weeks and has impressed coaches with his attitude.

But Koeman says the first-team door remains firmly shut on Niasse who will continue to play for the u-23s to maintain his fitness ahead of potential move away in January,

“I don’t think that changes anything but he’s still a contracted player of Everton,” Koeman said, when asked about Niasse’s game for the u-23s.

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

Niasse was not given a first-team squad number by Koeman who said: “If he likes to play football then he needs to leave Everton.”

Despite interest from clubs at home and abroad, Niasse remains at Everton but with no future.

So was Koeman surprised that the £13.5m striker did not leave in the transfer window?

“That’s a question for the player,” he said.

“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.”