Gueye will get over PSG disappointment, says Everton boss Silva

Marco Silva expects Idrissa Gana Gueye to quickly put any disappointment at not joining Paris St Germain in January behind him and show his best form for Everton.

The Ligue 1 giants made an offer reportedly worth £21million for the Senegalese midfielder but Silva indicated such a sum was never going to be enough to prize away a key member of his squad.

Silva admitted Gueye’s head was likely to have been turned by the prospect of playing in the Champions League, but insisted the 25-year-old is happy at Everton and would soon be back to his best – even if he could miss Saturday’s clash with Wolves due to a groin injury.

“I know Idrissa very well, he is a good professional and a fantastic boy,” Silva said. “He really likes our club, he is enjoying playing in our club.

“When a club like PSG comes in it is normal he starts to think about his future but now he has stopped, the market is closed and I don’t have doubts we will see the best Idrissa Gana again…

“You can use the word disappointed and of course it was a good opportunity for him, but it is a fantastic opportunity for him to stay with us also.”

Asked if the deal ever appeared close to happening, Silva said: “From the feedback I had with the board, they never told me the deal will be done or not, they didn’t tell me it was close, and they never told me we need to prepare to replace Gana.

“I think with this information you can take your conclusion.”

While Gueye stayed put, reports that Everton could make a late move for a striker never came to fruition. Silva said that was not a concern.

“I’m happy with the squad, I’m happy with the players we have to work with,” he said.

“You always try to improve your squad in every moment that you can but I’ve said to you since the start of the January market what our situation in the January market will be.”

Everton’s form over the winter can best be described as patchy but a 1-0 win at Huddersfield in midweek moved them up to eighth place, two points behind Saturday’s opponents Wolves.

“(Wolves) will be a good test for us as a team, not just offensively or defensively,” Silva said. “We have to be stronger as a team and stronger than them in all the moments of the match.

“We know they are strong in the counter-attack with a solid block and fast players. Every moment you have the ball and are trying to create you have to take care of that and have good balance.”