Leon Osman insists Romelu Lukaku is not bigger than Everton and the club will move on if he decides to leave.
Lukaku, who is the Premier League's top scorer this season with 23 goals, has frequently indicated he wants to play Champions League football, with rumours of a departure widespread.
The striker's deal at Everton runs out in 2019 and Sky sources understand the 23-year-old told the club in March he would not sign a new deal.
Osman, who made 433 appearances for Everton over a 14-year professional career, is adamant the Belgium international is not bigger than the club.
"In an ideal world they'll keep Romelu Lukaku,'' Osman told Premier League Daily. ''You'll keep the goals he's scoring and you try to build a team around him.
"You need a good goalscorer to move up the league. You need a guy who's going to score 20 plus goals a season to be near the top and at the moment he's doing that.
"If he was to turn around and say he is leaving and demands to leave, the club will move on. No player is bigger than the club.
"I met a guy in a cab yesterday who was telling me how Gary Lineker was sold from the club and the club developed and Everton will do that again if Romelu Lukaku leaves."
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