Howard confident Everton can cope with loss of Pienaar

Pienaar is set to leave Everton after rejecting a new contract offer from the club.

Tottenham and Chelsea are reportedly keen on signing the highly-rated midfielder.

“Steven has been our engine for the last couple of years,” Howard told the Daily Mirror.

“There is no hiding from that. He has been our star player.

“But my feeling, having been at this club for so long, is that we just get on with it. We don’t dwell on things.

“The gaffer David Moyes is really shrewd.

“He found Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar.

“There will be another. That’s just the way it is here at Everton.”