Everton forward Steven Naismith sponsors Christmas lunches for homeless people in Glasgow and Liverpool

Steven Naismith has again shown his charitable side by sponsoring Christmas lunches for homeless people in Glasgow and Liverpool.

The Everton and Scotland forward, who looks set for a move away from Merseyside in the new year, was at the Glasgow charity Loaves and Fishes, an organisation that helps the city’s homeless and also operates as food bank, on Wednesday.

It is not the first time Naismith has helped the disadvantaged. He started paying for the Christmas meals when he was at Rangers and last season began donating tickets for Everton’s home games to unemployed people across Liverpool.

Talking to the Big Issue, Naismith said: “It is both humbling and inspiring in equal measure. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to speak to the people who come to Loaves and Fishes.

“Many of their stories make difficult listening, because of the severity of hardship they have endured.

“This is something I look forward to every year. It’s the start of Christmas for me. It’s brilliant to come and get a banter with some great characters – they tell it as how it is, some saying I’m a good footballer and others that they think the opposite – and I’m happy that I can help.

“It’s a very small gesture for me but I’m always told how much it means to them.”

Naismith is likely to leave Everton after manager Roberto Martinez admitted he could sanction a move away from Goodison Park.

The 29-year-old, who scored a hat-trick against Chelsea after coming on as a ninth-minute substitute during their 3-1 win in September, has found himself increasingly sidelined, with Romelu Lukaku, Arouna Koné, Gerard Deulofeu and Ross Barkley monopolising the team’s attacking positions.

Norwich City, Everton’s opponents tomorrow, made a deadline-day bid for Naismith in the summer but were rebuffed by Martinez.

However, with Naismith not having been involved in a Premier League game since mid-October, it appears a move next month could now be on the cards.

Martinez said: “That’s something we need to look into whenever that situation arises. It happened in August, it wasn’t the right time. We’re going to see how the next three or four weeks go.

“Steven is a very intelligent man, an intelligent footballer, and I think he’s got an incredible degree of confidence.

“It is true it’s been frustrating for certain players in those attacking positions due to the fact some players in those roles have reached an incredible level of form.”

Meanwhile, Everton’s captain Phil Jagielka is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a knee injury and could return before the end of the year.

The defender, who suffered medial ligament damage in the defeat by Arsenal in late October, is potentially in line for a comeback against Stoke on 28 December.

Everton’s 19-year-old defender Brendan Galloway has signed a new deal that runs until 2020.

Galloway has made 16 appearances this season after making his breakthrough in the final two games of the last campaign.