• Merseysiders have ‘agreement in principle’ with Chelsea • Ghana winger spent last season on loan at Vitesse Arnhem

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Everton have reached an “agreement in principle” to sign the Chelsea winger Christian Atsu on a season-long loan, the manager Roberto Martínez has revealed.

A deal for the 22-year-old Ghana international is still subject to a work permit being received and the completion of other necessary paperwork.

But, if completed, the move would mean a second successive year on loan for Atsu, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Porto for £3.5m last summer, but then headed out to Vitesse Arnhem.

Martínez told the Liverpool Echo: “Everything has been agreed with Christian – it’s just a matter of finalising little details more with his work permit and personal situation.

“That will probably take a couple of days to get sorted but we have an agreement in principle to make the move as a loan deal until the end of the season.”

Chelsea have not commented on the possibility of a deal.

Everton have already done business with the west London club this summer, signing the striker Romelu Lukaku for a club record £28m following a successful loan last season.

Everton have also brought in the Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder Muhamed Besic from Ferencvaros and signed the former Manchester City player Gareth Barry on a permanent deal.

Meanwhile, Martínez is hopeful that one of last year’s signings, Arouna Koné, will be fit next month. The Ivory Coast striker, brought in from Martínez’s former club Wigan Athletic, has been out of action since suffering a knee injury last October.

Martínez said: “Arouna is training well and is still in his own programme, but he has been working with the team too.

“We’re very positive about Arouna being able to play some sort of competitive football in the next four to five weeks.”

Everton begin their Premier League campaign away at promoted Leicester City on Saturday.