Use your head and sign up now for the Everton FC newsletter Sign up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

EVERTON are “not open to offers” for Kevin Mirallas says boss Roberto Martinez - as French giants Monaco are reported to be lining up a January transfer window swoop for the Belgian forward.

Mirallas has started only two Premier League matches this season and is desperate for more exposure in a European Championship season.

But Martinez believes he will figure more prominently in the second half of the campaign.

“We are not open to offers. Not at all,” he said. “What we have seen with Kevin is that he signed a new contract in the summer and had a strong pre-season.

“We are in football to make decisions and we have really good attacking options.

“Kevin was unfortunate. He started the first game against Watford but then got a little niggle, a little injury. He then got the three game suspension (for a red card at Swansea).

“But the way he has been working the last few weeks earned him a start against Newcastle and I thought he did really well. I expect him to have a major influence in the second half of the season.

“If you take into consideration we have really good attacking players in our team and really good options going forward, there is

still the opportunity for every player is to use good moments of form to help the team and Kevin is a big part of that as he showed against Newcastle.”

Martinez added: “I am sure there will be speculation all through this window. The squad is still really large because it is a squad prepared for European football and so probably we have one or two bodies who maybe haven’t had as much football as they needed or wanted.

“We’ve got the Euros round the corner so there’s going to be a couple of decisions that we need to make in order to benefit everyone but I wouldn’t speak about any individual at the moment.

“Whenever there is a situation that is good for the player and good for our squad in general we will announce it but there is nothing to comment on at the moment.”

Martinez added that skipper Phil Jagielka was likely to return against Dagenham on Saturday, along with midfielder Steven Pienaar, but James McCarthy would continue to sit out the Manchester City and Dagenham matches.

“Phil Jagielka had a really important presence in the dressing room and he will be involved very soon. He is not ready to play 90 minutes yet but probably the weekend will be a better target for Jags.

“With James McCarthy we are making big strides. I don’t think he will make the next two games, but probably the end of the month. We need to make sure he is fully recovered after a setback like this.

“Steven Pienaar is available for the weekend so there is good news there, too.”