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Tim Howard has played down suggestions that he's about to return to Major League Soccer, insisting that he wants to end his playing career at Everton. Newspaper reports linked the U.S. international with three MLS clubs -- New York City, Toronto and LA Galaxy -- in late January. Everton manager Roberto Martinez dismissed suggestions that Howard could leave Goodison Park when asked about it by an ESPN FC reporter at a news conference on Feb. 5. Martinez said the 35-year-old, who is under contract until 2018, was his "perfect number one" goalkeeper. Howard said in December that his intention was to stay at Everton until the end of his contract, and then retire from playing. Even though Howard refused to rule out altogether the possibility of a move back to a U.S.-based club before then, he reiterated that his plan is still to see out his career on Merseyside. He told Sirius XM FC: "There seems to be a lot being said about my return. "Two weeks ago, some things popped up on Twitter and I had to call my agent to find out what was going on because I didn't know anything about it and neither did he. "I've still got several seasons left on my contract with Everton and at the end of that I want to be done playing. "What happens between then? I've got no idea. It is a business but I'm happy where I am and don't know anything about those rumours." Howard left MLS in 2003, when he joined Manchester United from New York MetroStars, then moved to Everton in 2006, initially on loan. The keeper, who signed a four-year contract in April 2014, returned to action in the 1-0 Premier League defeat at Chelsea on Feb. 11, after missing eight matches with a calf injury.
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