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Transfer news: Roberto Martinez wants Lacina Traore back on loan at Everton

Striker Lacina Traore during a rare Everton appearance last season
Image: Striker Lacina Traore during a rare Everton appearance last season

Roberto Martinez has not lost faith in Lacina Traore, whose initial loan spell with Everton yielded a total of just 62 first-team minutes.

The Goodison boss is keen to secure another loan deal for the 23-year-old striker, who is on the books of French club Monaco.

Traore moved to Everton in January but struggled with a hamstring problem which meant his appearances were limited to outings against Swansea and Hull.

We always wanted Lacina to be with us and to play his football with us, and that hasn't changed at all.
Roberto Martinez

The Ivory Coast player scored in a 3-1 win over Swansea and Martinez views the six-foot, eight-inch tall player as one of his striking options for the new season.

Martinez remains uncertain about the immediate future of another loanee, Romelu Lukaku, who may not return to Merseyside following the World Cup.

The 21-year-old Belgian, who netted 16 times last season, remains a Chelsea player and may choose to play elsewhere in 2014/15.

Regarding the availability of Traore, Martinez said: "At the moment we are still talking with Monaco. With Lacina, it is a three-way conversation and it will go a bit further down the line before we take a final decision.

"But we always wanted Lacina to be with us and to play his football with us, and that hasn't changed at all."

As for Lukaku, Everton’s Spanish manager added: "Romelu had an incredible season. He is a young man who matured immensely.

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Everton manager Roberto Martinez says he's looking to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Goodison Park.

"We know the potential of Rom and Chelsea have been very good with the player and we have been really close with our relationship. We need to find out where we are and there is nothing more to comment.

"Every time we spoke about Rom's situation it was very clear that he wanted to go to the World Cup and then make a decision. Obviously it is not going to take too long from now on."

Martinez's squad will be strengthened, however, by the return to fitness of a number of squad members who missed most of last season through injury.

"Darron Gibson (knee) is in a very strong way and is ready to join the group straight away," he added.

"Arouna Kone (knee) needs a little bit more one-to-one work for a couple of weeks, then he will be able to join the group.

"Bryan Oviedo (broken leg) will need a bit more individual work before he gets fully fit and probably the end of September is when we expect him to be ready.

"Realistically, from a medical point of view, it was never a possibility (of playing in the World Cup).

"What made it a possibility was the way he pushed himself and the way he was working so hard - so at one stage we thought he would make it.

"Once everything settled and we were getting closer to the World Cup we realised he was a little bit behind so we slowed down a bit more to make sure we don't get any problems in the recovery.

"We never had a setback or anything other than the need for time to heal such an injury that Bryan had."

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