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Martinez has sights set on transfer targets

'Recruitment is going to be vitally important'

Roberto Martinez says that he already has his transfer targets in mind as he maps out his team's plans for next season.

As it often does, the disruption to the normal patterns of transfer activity caused by the World Cup means that much of the manager's business will likely be done later in the summer but Martinez has selected the players he feels will make a difference.

"The recruitment department have been working tirelessly to get the reports and highlight the targets and players that are going to fit in our football club," he tells evertontv. "You can imagine it's a long process.

"We've identified the players and now it's about making sure we can get them to join.

"It's very much an important period, but it's not one where we need to panic. We don't have to make decisions just to bring numbers into the Club.

"Everything has to be measured and everything needs to be taken on the understanding that bringing the wrong player into this special group of players that we have could have a very negative effect.”

While Martinez doesn't go into specifics regarding which areas of the team he is particularly looking at, filling the spots that were vacated by Romelu Lukaku, Gareth Barry and Gerard Deulofeu would be obvious starting points.

Deulofeu was recalled by Barcelona as new Nou Camp boss Luis Enrique begins the process of integrating the 20 year-old into the first-team set-up at Barcelona and Lukaku's priority after the World Cup is to convince Jose Mourinho he can produce the goods for Chelsea. Barry's future remains uncertain, however with plenty of speculation but not many solid indications of what his next move might be.

One place he does seem to have his eye on is Scotland where he enjoyed a spell with Motherwell as a player. He told the Liverpool Echo of his admiration for some of the traits that he feels are synonymous with players from North of the Border.

“I have been following a lot of youngsters who are showing real potential and I think Scottish football can take advantage of using a lot of young players for the league," he said.

“As a profile in terms of their work-rate, understanding of the game, their focus and desire, I love the Scottish player as a character in any dressing room in the Premier League.”

Everton continue to be linked in particular with a move for Dundee United left-back Andrew Robertson.

Quotes sourced from evertontv

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