EUROPEAN heavyweights are lining up to court Steven Pienaar with Everton becoming increasingly resigned to losing the South Africa international in the summer.

Pienaar, who is out of contract at the end of this season, has so far refused to sign a new Goodison deal that has been on the table for months and would make him one of the highest-paid players in the history of the club.

While David Moyes has not yet given up hope of the midfielder putting pen to paper – only last week dismissing suggestions Pienaar’s departure was “inevitable” – the player will be able to open negotiations with foreign clubs in January.

And with Champions League finalists Inter Milan and Bayern Munich among the interested parties, the Bafana Bafana star will have a number of potential suitors in the forthcoming transfer window, although he could also wait until June before pursuing a move to another English club.

Moyes has previously stated he would have no qualms in letting Pienaar running down the remainder of his contract and lost the player for nothing should Everton require his services, and it seems that scenario will now be the most likely.

Meanwhile, Leon Osman has followed Tony Hibbert in declaring his desire to play out the remainder of his career at Goodison.

Like close friend Hibbert, the 29-year-old signed a contract extension last week that ties him to the club until 2014.

Osman, currently sidelined until December with an ankle injury, scored on his first start for Everton in May 2004 after earlier loan spells with Carlisle United and Derby County, and has gone on to make almost 250 appearances under Moyes.

And the midfielder said: “It (the contract) has been a discuss-ion for a few weeks now and I am de-lighted to have agreed to stay on.

“There was never any doubt on my part and I was just eager to put pen to paper – I want to stay here as long as I can.