Everton boss Ronald Koeman performs huge U-turn on Oumar Niasse after failing to get Romelu Lukaku replacement in transfer window

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Ronald Koeman has sensationally returned striker Oumar Niasse to Everton's first-team squad after failing to sign the striker he wanted in the summer transfer window.

Speaking at a press conference at Finch Farm on Thursday, Koeman confirmed the much-maligned forward is now an option for the rest of the season as he tries to fill the void left by Romelu Lukaku's move to Manchester United.

'Niasse is back in the first team. He did a training session today,' Koeman said. 'It gives us another option for the striking position.

Oumar Niasse has been handed a chance to revive his Everton career by Ronald Koeman

'It's not necessary to speak any more about what happened last season, I found that now is the right time to bring him back to the first team.

'He's an Everton player and sometimes in life you need to give some opportunities.

'Last season was a different season; maybe we had other strikers so we found it difficult to find a position for him.

'But his behaviour was perfect. He played games for the under-23s and I think now is the right time to bring him back to the first team. He needs to fight like every player for his opportunity.' 

Koeman's U-turn comes a year after he publicly wrote off the striker, a £13.5million signing from Lokomotiv Moscow in January 2016 by Roberto Martinez, from having an Everton career in his managerial tenure at Goodison Park.

Niasse was stripped of a squad number and demoted to the Under 23s, where he wasn't even given a locker.

Koeman was unable to bring in a new striker to Everton during the summer transfer window

Ahead of Koeman's first match as Everton manager, against Tottenham at Goodison Park last season, the Dutchman said he had told Niasse to find a new club.

'He can make his transfer because he is not in my opinion the future, what we need in his position,' Koeman said.

After Niasse scored for the Everton Under 23s last September, Koeman underlined his stance that the Senegal striker would not return to the first-team fold. 

'I don't think the goal changes anything but he's still a contracted player of Everton,' Koeman said.

'Of course I mentioned before the season started that he's a player who will not be in my plans but he's still under contract and he needs game-time for if there is interest from other clubs.

'Normally, we have enough strikers and different strikers to what he is. I prefer these people and not Niasse in the team.

'There was some interest in him but not the interest that he liked to have. It is all up to the player whether he doesn't leave, I can't understand it, but that is normal.

'Football players like to play football, that's how I see it, and I explained to him why he was not in my plans for the season.'

Niasse was signed for Everton by Roberto Martinez for £13.5m in January 2016

Niasse eventually left in January to join Hull on loan and scored four times in 17 appearances but could not keep The Tigers in the Premier League. 

He was, once again, informed that he had no future at Everton this summer and was on the brink of a deadline day switch to Crystal Palace, only for the move to fall through at the 11th hour.

Now, he finally has a chance to prove Koeman wrong. Everton did sign Sandro Ramirez from Malaga in the summer window but the Toffees boss wanted another striker as he prepares to compete across four competitions.