Toffees trying to keep Arteta

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has held talks with Mikel Arteta in an effort to keep him at the club.

Reports have suggested that the Spanish schemer is looking to head home this summer after seeing his one-year-old son, Gabriel, diagnosed as being partially sighted.

That appears to have ended any hope the likes of Arsenal - who have been linked with a move - have of luring him away from Goodison Park and keeping him in England.

Arteta has spent the last five years on Merseyside, earning a reputation as one of Europe's most under-rated playmakers.

Persuade

His talents have not gone unnoticed by Everton's rivals, though, and they fully expected there to be interest this summer.

Kenwright is confident he and David Moyes can convince the 28-year-old to stay put for now, but the fact that they have had to have such a discussion does not bode well.

"It is true that David and myself have spoken to Mikel on a couple of occasions this summer and tried to persuade him his future lies with us," Kenwright said in the Liverpool Echo .

"We earnestly believe that is still the case. The health of Gabriel has never been mentioned in these discussions."

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