Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has dismissed any suggestion that manager David Moyes will not sign a new contract.

Wyness, speaking on Wednesday night at the club's annual awards dinner at St George's Hall in Liverpool, claimed Moyes and club owner Bill Kenwright were "deep in talks".

Moyes led Everton to their best-ever Premier League campaign when they finished fourth in 2004-05 and is on course to lead them to UEFA Cup qualification again this season, but his contract runs out at the end of the 2008-09 campaign.

And the fact that a new deal has still not been brokered has led to suggestions that the Toffees would lose the Scot.

But Wyness said: "Bill and David have been deep in talks for some months.

"Those talks are going fine, there is absolutely no problem there at all."

Kenwright was absent from Wednesday night's event due to the birth earlier in the day of his first grandchild.

Defender Joleon Lescott picked up two awards, the fans' player of the year trophy and the players' player of the year award.

Young striker Victor Anichebe was named young player of the year while also winning the shareholders' young player of the season trophy.

Former England goalkeeper Gordon West was inducted into the Everton Giants, while Jack Rodwell was voted the academy player of the year.

Lescott, who also made his England debut this season, pointedly made it clear that he would wish to be playing in his natural position of centre-back soon, having filled in for much of the campaign at left-back.

He said: "I had never played left-back before I came here, I have played for England there and obviously for Everton there.

"But I would prefer to play centre-half to be honest, I made my debut for England at centre-half and hopefully I can continue there for Everton.

"I have spoken to the boss a few times (about it) but this season it has been more about the team so hopefully next season we can sort that out, I want to play centre-half, he knows that.

"And he sees me as a centre-half but it is more important for me to play at left-back for the team so I am more than willing to do that."

Meanwhile Wyness is also hopeful that there will soon be news on Everton's proposals for a new stadium.

"We are getting towards the planning situation, it is a very complex world the planning world," said Wyness.

"We are hoping in the next few months we will have some firm decisions and have a spade in the ground very soon.

"It will be May or June before any planning decision of any consequence."

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