Everton Sack Roberto Martinez

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has insisted he is determined to fulfil his contract after being linked with the vacancy at Premier League rivals Everton.

Expectations were sky high when he replaced David Moyes three seasons ago, saying that when he first met chairman Bill Kenwright he told him he would bring Champions League football to the club. “Roberto has been a great ambassador for the Club, conducting himself, at all times, with the utmost integrity and dignity”, a statement read.

Martinez took over from David Moyes at Goodison Park ahead of the 2013-2014 season, leading Everton to a fifth-place finish and its best Premier League points haul in his maiden campaign.

Martinez was full of praise for midfielder Gareth Barry after their 2-1 first leg semi-final win against Manchester City in the Capital One Cup.

Everton now sit at 12th spot and, with only one match remaining, they are guaranteed to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League for a second successive year.

Former Everton manager Roberto Martinez could be offered an instant return to management by La Liga strugglers Espanyol, reports Marca.

He said: “Who wouldn’t want this job?” The results have not been good enough for the talent we have and the squad.

Romelu Lukaku has made no secret of the fact he is keen to play Champions League football, and while his next destination is far from clear, a merry-go-round of strikers will likely take place that will see the Belgium worldwide eventually find himself at a club which more matches his personal ambitions.

“I always talk about John Terry, he is a bigger and better player than I’ve ever been and he will walk away thinking, “I wish I had got that one and I wish I had got this one” – and his trophy cabinet is overflowing”.

The pressure on Martinez appeared to have been alleviated when Romelu Lukaku scored twice in a thrilling FA Cup quarter-final victory over Chelsea at Goodison in March.

Only the bottom five teams in the league have conceded more than Everton’s 55 goals this season, and the 4-0 loss to neighbor Liverpool in the derby last month was a particular low point.

But the Toffees’ already patchy Premier League form collapsed entirely following that win against Guus Hiddink’s men.

In one last show of defiance, Martinez had insisted after the Sunderland game his players were “100 per cent” behind him, and brushed off questions over his future.

But Howard said it would be hard to say Everton had not underachieved this term.

Wednesday night’s 3-0 defeat to relegation survivors Sunderland at the Stadium of Light was the nail in the coffin for Martinez.