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Everton boss Roberto Martinez cautious with Steven Pienaar

Image: Steven Pienaar (right): May not return until next season

Everton manager Roberto Martinez says he is not prepared to take a gamble with Steven Pienaar's fitness for the last three games of the season.

The South African midfielder has made just one appearance - as a 28th-minute substitute against Swansea on April 11 - since mid-December because of a knee injury.

With Everton having little to play for in their final three games, Martinez would rather the 33-year-old concentrated on getting himself ready for next season.

"Stevie is working really hard now to be involved before the season ends but it will be difficult to find out one way or the other," he told evertontv.

"We'll monitor his situation and if he's 100 per cent over the next three weeks it will be great to see him on a football pitch.

"If not, we'll make sure he has a good fresh start in pre-season and make sure he's in the best possible shape to have a good campaign.

We want Stevie to be fit before the end of the season but, in one way or another, he has to be starting pre-season 100 per cent.
Roberto Martinez

"It's a period now where we want Stevie to be fit before the end of the season but, in one way or another, he has to be starting pre-season 100 per cent."

Martinez also revealed that Darron Gibson and Bryan Oviedo (both broken metatarsals) and Tony Hibbert have also been ruled out until next season.

He added: "Tony Hibbert and Darron Gibson are still working well but I don't think they're going to make this season.

"Bryan Oviedo has had a very good first few days of treatment and we're hoping he'll be fine for the start of August."

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