EXCLUSIVE – ‘Ronald Koeman’s comments on Romelu Lukaku’s Everton future taken out of context’, Farhad Moshiri tells talkSPORT

1 Koeman said Lukaku's potential 'is greater and higher than Everton'

Everton’s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has moved to ease fans’ fears over Ronald Koeman’s recent comments about top striker Romelu Lukaku.

Toffees fans were in uproar on Wednesday after the manager, in an interview with Belgian newspaper HLN, appeared to suggest the frontman should leave Goodison Park to fulfil his potential.

Koeman also likened Lukaku to former Holland striker Patrick Kluivert, and said the Toffees star could emulate the Dutch legend’s path to a club like Barcelona.

Lukaku put in a poor performance against Chelsea on Saturday as the striker’s former club swept the Toffees aside in a 5-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

Moshiri spoke to talkSPORT on Monday following the ‘terrible’ result, saying it was ruined his weekend and that he felt responsible for the ‘painful’ loss.

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And the Goodison Park supremo got in contact again on Thursday in response to Koeman’s comments, assuring fans that the manager only wanted to give the player a confidence boost after his poor display.

“It has been taken out of context,” Moshiri told talkSPORT host Jim White.

“Ronald Koeman said he believes Romelu will develop into one of the best strikers in the world in the next two to three years and wouldn’t be out of place at his old club, Barcelona.

“It is just player-coach talk.”