Everton manager Ronald Koeman has assured star striker Romelu Lukaku the Goodison Park faithful will not turn on him after the Belgium international told the club he will not immediately sign a new deal.
Lukaku is stalling on signing a new deal at Everton as he wants to keep his options open this summer, sources confirmed to ESPN FC earlier this week.
Asked if Lukaku will face a backlash from worried Everton fans when the Toffees host Hull on Saturday, Koeman told English newspapers: "I don't think so because we need the support -- every player who is starting needs the support.
"If the player shows his commitment in his football, then everybody can make mistakes. Then you realise it's no problem.
"But I think everybody needs to understand ambitions, and his situation I tried to explain -- he's a professional player and his commitment maybe looks different because of two or three quotes in the press but he is young and we can see these things."
Everton currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, two points behind Manchester United though the Old Trafford club have two games in hand.
And Koeman, who is in his first year at the Goodison helm, believes his team can improve upon this season's encouraging results.
"If I look to this season so far, I think we can make the next step next season," Koeman said.
"If we can move on and get in what we want to make the team really strong, I think we can battle with them [the top four], yes.
"See the difference between this season and last season. That's the first step. We have the same points now than last season. Can we show more ambition, stronger team, more points? Everybody knows you can't do this in one year.
"It takes time. How long did it take for Tottenham to be where they are now? Three or four years. You can't do it one year."