Everton manager Roberto Martinez backs Arouna Kone to come good.


Everton manager Roberto Martinez has backed striker Arouna Kone to come good in the 2014/15 season, after suffering an injury-hit season last year.

The Ivory Coast striker joined the Blues last summer for £6m from Wigan – following in the footsteps of Roberto Martinez in making the move from the club to Merseyside. However, he has been sidelined since mid-October with a knee injury and Kone made just six appearances last season.

With the forward yet to appear in pre-season, there have been qualms that Kone could be set for another problematic campaign. However, Martinez says the 30-year-old is edging closer to a full recovery and has backed him to shine in the upcoming season, particularly in the absence of Romelu Lukaku who could miss the start of the campaign.

“He is a figure that is very much in our plans and he is an understood figure because he has gone through such a horrible time.

Martinez told repo