DAVID MOYES hopes Everton will soon tempt Joseph Yobo to sign a new contract as he moved to allay fears the Nigerian international may leave when his present deal expires.
Yobo (right) has denied quotes attributed to him in a football magazine saying he has had offers from Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United and will quit Goodison Park at the end of his contract in 2007.
Moyes is aware the 24-year-old will become a target for top clubs in the future. But he hopes to offer Yobo a new deal in the near future, with the proposed £30m investment from the Fortress Sports Fund plus the Wayne Rooney money hopefully transforming the club's fortunes and convincing the defender to stay.
Yobo reaffirmed his commitment to Everton in a meeting with Moyes before training yesterday.
And afterwards the manager said: "Joseph is more than happy here and in the future hopefully we will be sitting down and talking about a new contract rather than him leaving the club.
"Everybody here respects him as a footballer and as a person. He has got much better in his time here.
"I remember saying when he came that young centre-halves make mistakes but will get better with age and time and that is certainly the case with Joseph. He is getting much better and is certainly a player I want here. After my discussions with Joe I do not see any danger of there being any change."
Yobo insists he has not said he wants to leave the club, and claimed: "I am very upset with what has been said. I am just concentrating on being here, I am happy here. I signed for Everton and I have always said I am happy here and I have never talked about any other clubs."
He added: "I do not know where all this is coming from but I am happy. I love the people here and I want to stay."
Yobo has missed Everton's last two games with a knee problem and faces a tough battle to regain his place against Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Moyes said: "He is coming along. At a push he could have played against Manchester City but he has fluid on his knee and has been concerned with it.
"But the performances of David Weir and Alan Stubbs have meant it has been easy to pick the same players and that is what we want.
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