Everton player was unexpectedly told he had to leave on loan because his salary was 'so high'

Kevin Mirallas has spoken on his Everton departure and the treatment he received from ex-Blues and current Fulham manager, Marco Silva.

The former Belgian international played 186 times for Everton, scoring 38 goals and making 33 assists in his seven years at the club.

In an interview with DH Net, the winger described his exit and the treatment he received at the end of his Everton career.

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Mirallas claimed that Marco Silva informed him that he was a part of his plans and even praised his efforts in training.

He said: “First of all, you should know that Fiorentina had already been interested in me before I went to Olympiacos. But I had already given my consent.

“The end of the 2017/18 season is coming. I went on vacation, there were still contacts with Fiorentina. Everton’s new coach Marcos Silva told me: ‘Listen, you’re going to do the preparation with us and then we’ll see.’

“It didn’t change anything for me because I had decided to do the pre-season with Everton before making a decision about my future: either I had served my time at Everton, or I continued because I still had two years on my contract.”

He then explained how he went on the preseason with Everton, performing well and featuring in ‘everything’.

However, as the squad returned to Goodison Park, Mirallas was informed that he was no longer a part of Silva’s plans, with wages being the main issue.

Reportedly, Mirallas was the fourth highest earner at the Toffees, earning £70,000 per week. With only Romelu Lukaku, Yannick Bolasie and Morgan Schneiderlin earning more than the Belgian at that time.

He said: “The preseason went very well, I played everything. And a week before the start of the championship, the coach told me that I was not going to start, that I was not sure of having my place. Which wasn’t a problem for me.

“Except that the next day, he called me again to tell me that it was going to be complicated given my salary was so high, that it was better that I go on loan. And from there, it was activated with Fiorentina.”

From 2018, Mirallas was then loaned out to Olympiacos and Fiorentina, before joining Royal Antwerp on a free transfer at the end of his contract in 2019.