EVERTON striker James McFadden is to close to signing a new, improved contract.
Signed from Motherwell in September 2003 for £1.25m, the Scotland international - capped 23 times by his country - has 18 months left on his current deal, but Everton are eager to extend his stay on Merseyside.
Though talks are currently ongoing, and there are still a few details left to iron out, it is understood that McFadden has been offered a new three-and-a-half year deal which will keep him at the club until June 2009 and is ready to put pen-to-paper.
After an up-and-down start to his Everton career, McFadden - who has scored six goals in 83 appearances for the Blues - has been a much more consistent performer and forged a promising partnership alongside James Beattie.
Of the eight matches they have started together, Everton have won four, draw one and lost three but there have been genuine signs that there is something to work on in the future.
Blues' boss David Moyes said at the club's AGM last November that he wanted to lower the average age of Everton's squad by getting younger players on long-term deals and the offer to McFadden is further evidence of his work.
Having secured the services of Tim Cahill, 27, Tony Hibbert, 24, and Mikel Arteta, 23, for the foreseeable future at the beginning of the season, agreeing terms with 22-year-old McFadden is another step in the right direction.
With the majority of Everton's first team squad still away on a training camp in Miami, the emphasis will be on youth tonight as the reserves take on Liverpool in the mini-derby at Haig Avenue (7pm).
HAVE your say on our Blues Messageboard - click 
RSS News Feed