KOEMAN HAPPY TO SIGN OVER TO WALSH

RONALD KOEMAN has revealed he does not have full control over Everton’s summer signings.

Yet, far from throwing a tantrum, the manager insists he’s happy with the situation.

Koeman has been linked with the soon-to-be vacant Barcelona manager’s position.

But despite dreaming of a Nou Camp return one day, he intends to see out the two years on his Goodison contract.

And he will do that without having the ultimate say on signings, because he believes in a different model, which gives director of football Steve Walsh an important voice.

“Full control, no, I cannot control all the players I want,” Koeman (above) said. “We speak about players who will make the team stronger. Last week I said we need more players and more scoring players than we have right now.

“But always the position of the manager is not long term, because most of the time football changes. What happened to Wenger and Ferguson is an exception.

“And that’s why I like Steve’s function in the club. He is for the long term and sometimes he is looking for young players who are not first-team players.

“My function is to win every weekend but, if I can help the club by giving chances to young players, I will. But, first of all, we need a strong team for next season.

“Of course, we need to have agreement but we know exactly what we like and what we need for the first team.”

Everton have already been guaranteed Europa League football next season, and travel to Swansea aiming to overhaul Arsenal in sixth place to avoid the qualifying rounds of the competition.

Koeman knows with the extra European games he will need a much bigger squad for next term and said: “In two weeks we will make decisions about players. We have priorities for the first team, and it’s always difficult in numbers.

“We have six or seven injuries at the moment and only a small squad. We have 20 players on the training ground and 10 players are Under-23s – too much.”

Asked if he wanted quantity or quality, he replied: “First quality but, sometimes, it is good to have back-ups.

“It can be a young player and, if not, we can sign some players as back-up because we hope to play in Europe and it will be tough.”

One of those long-term injured, Seamus Coleman, 28, was handed a new fiveyear contract yesterday.

And the experienced defender revealed how much it meant to him after his shocking leg break playing for Ireland.

“I’m delighted to get this signed. Everything had been agreed and I was due to sign it after the international break, but I got the injury,” he said.

“Chairman Bill Kenwright messaged me and said, ‘When you come back this contract is still waiting for you’. That sums up what this club is all about.”