Former Everton midfielder Jose Baxter is backing Leghton Baines to be a future Toffees manager.

Baxter is now a coach inside the Blues academy where Baines is now U18s manager.

“When I was a young lad coming through, he was living just outside Liverpool and I was living in Bootle," he told evertonfc. “He'd drop me off after games, even though I lived nowhere near him. Leighton one million per cent looked out for me. He still does now.

“I am still learning, and his football knowledge is superb, as you can imagine. Everything he does, he's top drawer. Even things like the analysis side of the game. He does it all himself. He always says to me, 'I will show you what I do'. He always wants to help. He's brilliant, I can't speak highly enough of him.

“He's new himself in coaching, but ahead of me and he will always have his phone on. I feel comfortable enough with him to say, 'I didn't quite get that; can you show me?' Because he's an understated guy, there's this perception that he may have drifted off into the sunset after retiring.

“But you see him now at Finch Farm, doing pitch runs like he would do as a player. It's easy for people to think he could put his feet up for the rest of his life, but it shows you the love he has for the game.

“I text him wishing him the best on his birthday not long ago and asked if he had any plans. He told me he was in the coffee shop by his house doing clips from a recent Under-18s game. He's obsessed, and I truly believe he will go on to be a great manager...hopefully, one day at Everton."