Roberto Martinez has said that he is "looking forward" to working with Everton's squad ahead of the next Premier League season.
The Toffees players are due to return for pre-season training next month, with friendlies against Accrington Stanley, Blackburn Rovers and Austria Vienna already confirmed.
The new manager told the club's website: "I am very much looking forward to working with this group of players as they achieved great levels last campaign and that is something that gives us a great platform to start from in pre-season.
"That's important, that the players are here and they will get a little bit of help with the new signings and all together, we can work from where we are now, so [pre-season] is something that gives you a very good starting point.
"As a manager you can never be satisfied until you are with your players and the team working on the training ground and until then you are just waiting to get started. I'm very much looking forward to getting the next few weeks out of the way as quick as we can."
Martinez was confirmed as David Moyes's replacement earlier this month.
Sian Cowper
