Everton defender Seamus Coleman has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League club.
Republic of Ireland
international Coleman, 24, has committed to David Moyes' team until
2018 after being rewarded with an improved deal after some dynamic
displays at right-back and in midfield this season.
"I'm
glad to get it all done and to sign for so long at a club like Everton
is a great achievement. I want to be here for as long as possible,"
Coleman told Evertontv.
"Signing a
contract here is fantastic and I'm really looking forward to the next
couple of years. I'm going to keep working as hard as I have done since
day one and keep improving every day in training to impress the manager.
I'm really happy to have signed for the length of time that I have."
There
was also some bad news for Everton, though, with midfielder Darron
Gibson ruled out for a month after suffering a thigh strain. Gibson
missed Everton's 2-1 defeat against Chelsea on Sunday as a result of the
problem and Toffees manager David Moyes confirmed on Monday that the Republic of Ireland international won't be back in action until February.
The
25-year-old spent more than two months on the sidelines earlier in the
season with a similar problem and missed 10 Premier League games. "I
think he's going to be out for about four weeks," Moyes said.
Gibson's
absence is a significant blow to Everton, who are challenging for a top
four finish, as Moyes is already without Kevin Mirallas, Tony Hibbert
and Seamus Coleman due to injuries.
Source:FIFA