Niasse has scored three goals in 59 minutes of football for Everton this season.
Ronald Koeman has defended his decision not to include Oumar Niasse in Everton’s squad for their Europa League group stage campaign.
Niasse has scored three goals in two substitute appearances this season, his first in competitive fixtures since Koeman arrived at Goodison Park more than a year ago.
The Senegal striker looked to be on his way out of Everton during and after the summer transfer window, with interest from English and Turkish sides reported.
And it would appear that Koeman was expecting him to depart, having failed to include him in his squad for the competition.
Asked if it was frustrating not to have Niasse available, the Everton manager said via the club’s official Periscope account: “No. Because we had to make that decision, I think it was already a long time ago. At that time, his situation was not the situation of now.
“In life you don’t get a second chance and you have to decide and that decision was made also by (some of) my players. They (are) still not available, but maybe, in several weeks (they will be), and then you make your decision.”
Despite not playing a single game for Everton this season, Seamus Coleman, Ross Barkley and James McCarthy were each included in Koeman’s 27-man squad.
The Toffees face Apollon Limassol in Cyprus on Thursday night, seeking their first points of the competition.
Should Everton have included Niasse in their Europa League squad?
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