Arsenal reject Everton’s £30m Iwobi bid

Arsenal have rejected a £30million bid from Everton for Nigeria international, Alex Iwobi, reports www.standard.co.uk.

The offer is believed to have comprised an initial £25million fee with a further £5million in performance-related add-ons.

Everton are seeking alternatives to a deal for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha having grown frustrated at the club’s continued demands for a fee of at least £80million for a player who has made no secret of his desire to leave Selhurst Park this summer.

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The Gunners were hopeful of securing a deal for Zaha themselves but Palace’s insistence on receiving a large percentage of the asking price up front led them to turn their attentions elsewhere, eventually agreeing a £72million deal with Lille for Nicolas Pepe spread over five years.

Zaha is said to be extremely frustrated by Palace’s stance – emboldened further by any absence of a need to sell having already allowed Aaron Wan-Bissaka to join Manchester United for £50million – and is hopeful of securing a move either to Everton or overseas before the end of the month.

Iwobi has improved under head coach Unai Emery and he would ideally like to stay at the club but Arsenal’s pursuit of a winger in January and again this summer suggests the winger, Iwobi, who was part of the Super Eagles squad which won the bronze at the just-ended Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, may find first-team opportunities hard to come by.

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However, the Gunners have opted to reject Everton’s opening offer and the Merseyside club must decide whether to test their resolve with an improved bid or seek a breakthrough in negotiations with Zaha.