Jo added: “I think I started to find my best form last season when I moved to Everton, that is for sure. The last four months of last season I felt much more confident. They were much better than the first six months because I started playing and scoring goals and that gave me confidence.

“In my opinion it was the manager and my team-mates who helped me find that confidence. They pass that tranquility and that confidence to you and that’s why I was able to find my best (form).”

Meanwhile, Everton’s squad will be bolstered by the return of Yakubu for the forthcoming tour of North America.

The Nigerian, who was been sidelined since November with an Achilles injury, will be among the party that jets off for the United States next week and could even play against either the MLS All-Stars on July 29 in Salt Lake City or River Plate in Edmonton, Canada four days earlier.

Real Salt Lake midfield duo Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales are the latest players to be announced in the All-Stars squad while Toronto striker Dwayne De Rosario has been replaced by Chicago Fire veteran Cuauhtémoc Blanco.

Mikel Arteta won’t be on the trip, but Everton expect the Spaniard to be back in full training by the middle of next month.

“The normal recovery period for a cruciate injury is six months,” said head of physio Mick Rathbone.

“He’s hitting all his targets so at the end of August he should be available.”