EVERTON will round off their pre-season preparations with a friendly in Spain.

The Blues travel to Malaga on Saturday, August 11 for a warm-up game with the La Liga side before the start of the Premier League campaign seven days later.

After welcoming AEK Athens to Goodison Park on the Wednesday for Tony Hibbert’s testimonial, David Moyes’ side will lock horns with Manuel Pellegrini’s Champions League qualifiers.

Competitive football then arrives a week after for Everton when Manchester United travel to Merseyside for the league season’s curtain raiser.

Malaga finished fourth in Spain’s top division last season and boast international players such as Martin Demichelis, Julio Baptista, Joaquin and Santi Cazorla in their ranks.

Everton have only played the side, nicknamed Los Boquerones, once before with Louis Saha and Leon Osman scoring in a 2-1 friendly win at Goodison in August, 2009.

Kick-off in southern Spain has yet to be confirmed with ticket details also still to be released.

Just five months after he left Everton for Tottenham, meanwhile, Louis Saha is a free agent – and considering a move to Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland.

After just two goals in his last 20 appearances for Everton, Saha made an instant impact upon his arrival at White Hart Lane in January, scoring three goals in his first two starts for the club.

However, his time at the club ended in controversy as he was criticised by Spurs fans for congratulating Chelsea on Twitter for defeating Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, a result which saw Chelsea secure Champions League football at Tottenham’s expense.

The 33-year-old is now a free agent after his short-term contract at White Hart Lane expired.

Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill is keen to bolster his attacking options after Nicklas Bendtner returned to his parent club Arsenal following a season-long loan on Wearside.

And Saha has confirmed he has not ruled out the possibility of a move to the Stadium of Light, with West Ham also said to be interested in his signature.

“I would consider going to Sunderland,” Saha said.

“Anything can happen in the transfer market, though, it’s always a tense time. It’s all about making the right choices and the nice thing is to have options.”

Saha’s stock with Spurs fans is unlikely to improve after the French striker urged France coach Laurent Blanc to turn down any interest from Spurs and remain as national team boss.

Blanc is thought to be one of the leading contenders for the White Hart Lane job along with Andre Villas-Boas. But former Spurs striker Saha is keen for Blanc to remain in charge of Les Bleus.

“He’s a top manager,” Saha said. “He’ll always have interest. I can imagine him being in the Premier League because of his experience.

“I want him to stay in the job for France because he has been doing a terrific job so I wouldn’t like him to go to the Premier League yet.”