[tomvoyeur]

Koumas signals interest in move to Everton

Jason Koumas refused to rule out a move to Everton today as he made it clear he wants to be playing in the Premiership next season.

The talented Wales midfielder has been strongly linked with a £4million move to Goodison Park following West Brom's failure to win the Championship play-off final against Derby on Monday.

Koumas, who has been a long-term target for Everton boss David Moyes, accepts now that his future may lie away from the Hawthorns.

And as he prepared for Wales' Euro 2008 qualifier with the Czech Republic in Cardiff tomorrow, he said: 'Any player will say they should be in the Premiership, and I am no different. I feel I can play in the Premier League, no problem.

'I'm a local lad from Liverpool, I suppose a move back to the city would be a dream move for me, but I am just concentrating on the Czech match now and what happens in the summer will happen.

'People are saying I should be in the Premier League, but I will leave that for others to decide. All I am interested in now is to do well for my country, get a good result and putting in a good performance.'

He added: 'I hope I am in the Premiership next season, but if it doesn't happen I will just keep playing to the best of my ability with West Brom.

'I just want to get better as a player. As for the future, I only played my last game for West Brom on Monday and it was a shattering blow.

'All I want to do now is finish on a high with Wales and then go away with my family for a break. We will see what happens after that.'

Moyes tried to sign Koumas when the midfielder left Tranmere, but the deal never materialised and the 27 year-old moved to West Brom instead.