Everton have had a £52million bid knocked back for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, according to reports.
The Daily Mail claim the Toffees have been rebuffed in their attempts to sign the Ivory Coast international, who has also attracted interest from Arsenal this summer.
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Zaha, 26, admitted in an interview back in April that he was seeking a move away from Selhurst Park in order to play in the Champions League.
However, that wish looks unlikely to materialise with both of the sides who have expressed an interest in signing him not featuring in that competition in the upcoming season.
The former Manchester United man is believed to want to remain to London, however Arsenal are unlikely to continue to pursue a deal for Zaha as they close in on a £72m deal for Lille forward Nicolas Pepe.
Everton believed this would give them a clear pathway to get a deal over the line for Zaha, but they will have to increase their offer to stand any chance of getting their man.
Meanwhile, Palace boss Roy Hodgson has revealed that he is in the dark over the Toffees’ pursuit of his star man, suggesting any bids will be dealt with by Eagles chairman Steve Parish.
“He’s dealing with the chairman at the moment, the chairman’s his link and they get on very well,” Hodgson said.
Dominic King, the Daily Mail’s North-West Correspondent, has told talkSPORT he believes ‘a deal is not going to happen’ between Everton and Crystal Palace.
“With Zaha, I’ve got to be truthful and tell you what I’ve heard. “I’ve heard that it’s not a deal that is going to happen,” he told the Weekend Sports Breakfast.
I think Zaha would be a huge outlay for Everton, never mind the transfer fee, the wages and agent fees and whatever.
“I think that would take it close to £100m, it just isn’t the transfer fee you know. And I’m not sure, if they need five players, they’re not going to use all of it on one.”
Wilfried Zaha always wanted to join Arsenal and has supported the club from a young age