EVERTON’S England defender Leighton Baines last night committed his future to the club for a further five years.

Baines is the latest Everton star to commit his long-term future to the club after he put pen to paper at Finch Farm on yesterday.

The left-back has been one of Everton’s – and indeed the Premier League’s – most consistent performers after arriving from Wigan in 2007.

Since then he has become a regular starter, forcing his way into the England set-up where he has so far earned two caps but was surprisingly left out of the World Cup squad.

With the futures of key midfielders Steven Pienaar and Mikel Arteta still uncertain, Baines’ commitment will come as a major boost to manager David Moyes.

Baines has scored three goals in his Everton career to date, as well as a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final shoot-out in 2009.

He follows Tim Cahill, Jack Rodwell and Seamus Coleman in committing to Everton on a long-term basis this summer.

Baines said last night: “I’m more than happy to be staying here and committing to the club and it was nice for the club to want me to stay. It was simple – it would have been done quicker if I hadn’t been away on holiday.

“I still had two years left so wasn’t really thinking about it but the manager said to me at the end of last season that I had done well and he wanted to reward me with a new contract, which was great. It is nice to have it sorted before we go away to Australia because I can focus on the football and not have anything going on in the background.

“I’m fully-focused on the trip to Australia and hopefully that will be a good trip leading to a good season.”

Everton, meanwhile, have also completed the signing of 19-year-old French forward Magaye Gueye for a fee in excess of £1m from Strasbourg.

“I was over the moon when I heard that Everton had agreed a fee with my club,” he said.

“I was so happy and I am looking forward to developing in the best league in the world.”