Roberto Martinez denies gentleman's agreement with Chelsea

Premier League: Roberto Martinez denies gentleman's agreement between Everton and Chelsea


Merseyside manager dismisses conspiracy theories after London club sold Romelu Lukaku and loaned out Christian Atsu



Roberto Martínez has dismissed any possibility of a gentleman’s agreement with Chelsea that gives the London club first option on Everton’s top players in return for attractive loan deals.


Chelsea have developed a mutually profitable relationship with Everton, loaning and selling Romelu Lukaku and this week agreeing to send winger Christian Atsu to the Merseyside club for a year.


The Stamford Bridge club may calculate this will work in their favour should they decide to bid for Ross Barkley and John Stones in future.


The pair are likely to play a pivotal role in the England team and are long-term targets for the wealthiest Premier League clubs, especially Chelsea and Manchester City.


While acknowledging the cordial relations between the respective boards, Martínez says such conspiracy theories should be rejected.


“We have a good relationship and a professional relationship and I want to believe they feel that they can trust us in sending players out on loan,” said Martínez.


“I don’t think that relationship goes any further. The chairman [Bill Kenwright] has been instrumental in forging that relationship more than anyone. He’s developed that bridge between the clubs and there’s a possibility for both to use it in a good way but there’s no commitment in any sort of future deals.”


Atsu is the latest in a series of players Chelsea have sent on loan because the path to the first team is blocked, but they usually expect their players to get plenty of playing time so they can preserve and increase their value.


Last year, the Londoners were upset when Victor Moses was barely used by Liverpool, but Atsu insists no guarantees were made that he had to start regularly for Everton as part of his loan deal.


“Nobody promised me any games to play in,” said Atsu.


“I spoke with the manager here and he didn’t tell me that if I come to Everton I will play straight away. I know everything depends on the player, the player has to work hard before the manager can choose him.


There was no guaranteed playing time.”