This, it would appear, is not what he meant to say.
"I'm very upset with what has been said. I'm happy here. I've always said I'm happy at Everton. This is just ridiculous. Are people trying to get at me? I don't know where the stories are coming from. I want to say to the supporters that I'm happy. At the moment I've got a contract with Everton and I'm happy here. This is just ridiculous."
To be fair to him, when I first read the comments they did seem a little out of character.
David Moyes later said : "Joseph is more than happy here and in the future hopefully we will be sitting down and talking about a new contract rather than him leaving the club. Everybody here respects him as a footballer and as a person. He has got much better in his time here.
"I remember saying when he came that young centre-halves make mistakes, but will get better with age and time and that is certainly the case with Joseph. He is getting much better and is certainly a player I want here. After my discussions with Joe I do not see any danger of there being any change."
So, that is that then.