Transfer Centre

Leon Osman realistic over Marouane Fellaini, Leighton Baines futures

By Liam Power, Reporter | 01 September 2013

Everton midfielder Leon Osman insists that the club would find a way to manage if Leighton Baines or Marouane Fellaini leave Goodison Park before the window closes.

Everton midfielder Leon Osman has declared that he plans to stay away from the transfer gossip on deadline day, but remains adamant that that Toffees would deal with any late departures.

Toffees boss Roberto Martinez has been fighting to fend off interest from Manchester United in key duo Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, rejecting a pair of bids for both players.

Osman is realistic over the club's hopes of hanging on to Baines and Fellaini, with the 32-year-old braced for bad news when he reports for training on Tuesday morning.

He told The Mirror: "Nobody wants to lose their best players. Every Evertonian is hoping that won't be the case, but we live in the real world and things happen differently than you want them to.

"It's always difficult when you're talking about the money which is being bandied about by the clubs that are interested. Of course, we would survive, though. As with any club, no player is bigger than the club.

"If someone goes, you move on, you adapt, you find new ways of playing without those players. Whatever happens come Monday night or Tuesday morning, we will move on and make ourselves strong."

Martinez has been trying to add new faces at Goodison Park before the transfer window closes, with a bid rejected by his former club Wigan Athletic for midfielder James McCarthy.