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LIVERPOOL. — Everton manager Ronald Koeman has sunk any hopes that Romelu Lukaku will commit to the club with a new contract.

The Belgian striker tops the English Premier League soccer scoring charts with 23 goals to his name, and is now strongly linked with a return to former club Chelsea.

“He told me he won’t sign a new contract,” Koeman said “Maybe I wait for the call from Drogba to tell me where he wants to go.”

Although the former Blues striker looks set to leave Goodison Park, Koeman is more hopeful about Ross Barkley, and says the club’s ambitions match those of the young English winger.

“We will offer (Barkley) the contract that is good, that is normal for the player,” the Dutchman added. “I think with how he is improving this season, Everton is the best place for him.

“I spoke to Ross several weeks ago and he mentioned his ambition is the Champions League and I told him I have the same ambition and I think we are going in the right direction.

“Everybody has seen the difference between this season and last — the club is going in the right direction.” — AFP.