Everton striker Cenk Tosun has been linked with a return to Besiktas over recent weeks in the Turkish press.
Turkish-Football has refuted claims that Tosun is unhappy and eyeing an Everton exit but that did not stop reports that he could be headed for a January exit.
Toffees boss Marco Silva has made a frank assessment about the future of his striker.
Silva made it clear in his pre-match press conference ahead of the away trip to Manchester United that rumours claiming Tosun would leave were nonsense.
The Everton manager made it clear the Turkey international is happy at the club and that he has had a fantastic week.
Silva said: “Not true. Cenk is happy. Apart from the goal against Crystal Palace he has had a fantastic week. His baby has been born – son. He is happy and is working to help the team.”
Tosun has not started any of the Toffees last three league games but he has come off the bench to score in the last two games at Goodison Park.
The striker is competing for a starting role with Richarlison upfront and will be hoping to get the nod against United.
The Portuguese manager was also full of praise for under-fire United head coach Jose Mourinho.
“Mourinho knows how he can manage the situation. For sure it is not the first time in his career he feels this situation. He can manage the situation like he wants. He’s preparing for everything,” he said.
“I don’t have doubts about him or what he can do. He won’t doubt himself.”
The two managers are in regular contact and Silva has nothing but admiration for everything Mourinho has achieved in the game. He was a player at Salguiros when Mourinho was taking Porto to Champions League glory in 2004.
“I remember the impact in Portuguese football in those two seasons was something fantastic and unbelievable. Not just in Portugal. If you remember the impact he had at Chelsea in his first two seasons, yes?
“After he had the same impact at Inter Milan and then Real Madrid. After that he came back to Chelsea and he repeated it at Chelsea. It was not just one time, it was not just at Porto.
“I saw the game against Coruna in the semi-finals of the Champions League at Porto’s stadium. He had a fantastic impact in that moment on Portuguese football and then afterwards in Europe.”
