Nigeria Content Online

Nigerian forward,
Victor Anichebe, has denied reports that he rejected a £30,000 a week
deal with Everton, and insists he remains committed to the Premier
League club.

Reports in the
British media, last weekend, suggested that the Nigerian international,
who is in the final six months of his current contract, had rejected a
lucrative new deal to extend his stay at Everton. As a result of the
misleading reports, Anichebe found himself jeered by a section of the
Everton faithful when he came off the bench in last Saturday’s draw
against Wigan. Anichebe is in the dark as to where the rumours of his
contract negotiations came from and is keen to set the record straight
to the Everton fans. A number of clubs across Europe are thought to be
monitoring the Nigerian’s situation at Everton as, with the player
turning 23 in April, under FIFA regulations he could leave the Premier
League side for free when his contract expires at the end of June.

Quick resolution

However, Anichebe
is keen to stay at Everton and wants to resolve his contract wrangle at
Goodison Park. “Obviously, of course I want to stay at Everton,”
Anichebe told skysports.com. “I have been here since I was a boy and I
have grown up at the club. The whole situation over the weekend about
my contract was a bit crazy to be honest. I don’t know where it leaked
from that I supposedly turned down an offer of £30,000 a week. That is
not the case at all. I have not been offered anything like the figures
that have been bandied about in the press. I want the fans to know I
would never disrespect the club in any way or disrespect the fans. I am
happy at the club, happy with the players, happy with the manager and I
don’t have any problem with anyone at the club.”

Worst career experience

Regarding the jeers from sections of the Goodison faithful, Anichebe
admits he was upset to be singled out for abuse and conceded it was the
worst experience in his career. “I spoke to the manager the other day
and he didn’t understand where it came from either and he was shocked
by the reception I got when I came on against Wigan,” he said. “I was
quite shocked by the reaction from some fans, and to be honest it was
quite upsetting because of the fact I have come through the ranks and
the fans have always been so good to me throughout my time at the club.
It was probably the worst day I have had as a footballer the reception
I got and even the build-up to it. I understand that some of them will
believe what they read in the papers, but I want to reassure them I
would never disrespect the club or them in any way. I am like the fans,
I know what Everton means to them. It was hard what happened to me, but
I have great team-mates around me and Tim Cahill, Phil Neville and Phil
Jagielka have helped me a lot. The main thing for me is to train hard
and play as many games as possible as I have had two tough injuries
over the last 18 months and I just want to leave all the negotiations
with my advisers who deal with that side of things.”