• Chairman Bill Kenwright denies approving the move
• ‘I would fight tooth and nail to keep our manager’

Everton’s chairman, Bill Kenwright, has ‘laughed off’ speculation that manager David Moyes is poised to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Moyes last week described as ‘nonsense’ reports that he was being lined up to take over at Old Trafford when his long-serving fellow Scot eventually decides to step down. Kenwright is equally unimpressed and is determined the 47-year-old, who recently celebrated eight years in charge at Everton, should stay at Goodison Park.

Kenwright told the Liverpool Echo: ‘It’s absolute nonsense to infer that we would let David depart for Manchester United with our blessing.

“If a day like that ever did occur, Evertonians know that I would fight tooth and nail to keep our manager where he belongs.

“Everyone will have read both David Moyes and Alex Ferguson’s comments and what they both describe as typical summer speculation madness. David Gill [United chief executive] and I have a similar friendship to David and Alex Ferguson, and we too have laughed it off.”

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• Everton manager hopes to secure deal before World Cup
• Spurs linked with South African after agent hints at exit

David Moyes has defended Everton’s efforts to keep Steven Pienaar and believes the influential South African could commit his future to Goodison Park before this summer’s World Cup.

Pienaar enters the final year of his current Everton contract at the end of this season and protracted negotiations over an extension prompted his agent, Ivan Modia, to claim this week that the 28-year-old could leave. Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with the former Ajax and Borussia Dortmund midfielder and there is interest from several European clubs in a player who will feature prominently in South Africa’s World Cup campaign.

Moyes, however, has rejected Modia’s claim that talks “have not been an intense process” and is confident Pienaar will extend his career at Goodison. The Everton manager said: “I am quite comfortable with the situation. It is moving along in the right direction. There has been quite a lot of discussion recently, which is one thing that was highlighted this week that wasn’t quite right. Steven is our player. It wouldn’t worry me if the negotiations went beyond the World Cup but I am quite confident that something will happen before then.”

Another Everton player with an uncertain future is Philippe Senderos, who has made only two starts since the club took over the remainder of his Arsenal contract in January and becomes a free agent in the summer. The Switzerland international has struggled with injury at Everton and, although a free transfer is an attractive option to Moyes, the 25-year-old has still to convince the manager he should be offered a permanent deal.

The Everton manager said: “We will wait until the end of the season and make a decision then. Even though he hasn’t always played, Philippe has fitted in well and is very positive around the place. The size of our transfer budget will have an influence and we will see what we can do.”

Everton entertain Fulham tomorrow without John Heitinga, who has suffered a hairline fracture to his ankle and may not play again this season, although he will be available for the World Cup. On Fulham Moyes added: “Roy Hodgson would get my vote for manager of the year. His performances this season with the resources he has available have been excellent.”

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• South African midfielder has one year left on Goodison deal
• ‘We have had some interest expressed from clubs in Europe’

The agent of Everton’s midfielder Steven Pienaar has warned the club to resolve contract negotiations before the World Cup or risk losing him. The 28-year-old has just over a year to run on his existing deal but wants an extension to be agreed before he flies out to join his national team next month.

Pienaar’s agent, Ivan Modia, claimed his client is happy at the club but has not ruled out a future away from Goodison Park. “At the moment we are looking at every situation and it will be sorted one way or another before the World Cup,” he said. “We have had some interest expressed from clubs in Europe but we haven’t talked to them because everything must go through Everton because he is under contract.

“It is possible [Pienaar could leave] but it is also possible he will stay at the club. I am not saying he is leaving because that is not true. We are in talks but I think it would be disrespectful to Everton [to elaborate] because we have a good relationship with the club.

“Negotiations have been ongoing since the start of the year but it has not been an intense process. We are talking and are patient. We are waiting to see what is going to happen behind closed doors. What I think is there are two different options. One is to get a new contract but if he did not he would be looking for a solution.

“He goes to the World Cup this summer and that would be a good way for Everton to make money from it.”

The latest club to join the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham in being linked with Pienaar are Liverpool.

David Moyes has said he thinks it would be unwise for the South African to leave and Modia admits Pienaar owed the Everton manager a great deal.

“He loves the club and loves the fans and he really appreciates the opportunity that Everton gave him when he was having a really difficult time in his career,” he added. “David Moyes took him on loan [from Borussia Dortmund in 2007] with an option to buy him and that changed his career because he was having a bit of a nightmare in Germany.”

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