Everton attacker Nikola Vlasic does not see his future at the club after he was sent out on loan to CSKA Moscow over the summer, according to reliable journalist Phil Kirkbride.
Speaking in a Q&A for the Liverpool Echo on Friday [11:11], Kirkbride reported that the Croatian playmaker believed he deserved more guarantees of playing time this season, which Marco Silva was unable to give.
It is said that the 21-year-old now increasingly believes his future in football lies away from Everton after that snub, with Vlasic tearing it up for CSKA so far this season with three goals and two assists in nine games.
OPINION
It is hardly surprising to hear that Vlasic does not see his future at Goodison Park, with there being obvious differences with Marco Silva over the summer. His frustrations will however have begun to show last season as he made just 19 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees despite showing his talent on multiple occasions. Sam Allardyce seemed unwilling to play him at all during the latter part of the season, and that will have made Vlasic question his place at the club. It is not clear why Silva also took the view that Vlasic was not ready for regular first-team football in the summer, but he will be happy to be proving him wrong with some brilliant performances on loan so far this season. The highlight will obviously have been his winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League, and should Vlasic continue this kind of form then Everton would be crazy not to bring him back into the fold. It may however be a bit late for that if Vlasic is unsettled, and a summer exit now looks the likeliest option.