Arsenal refuse to meet £20m valuation of top defensive target

Arsenal still want to sign Jonny Evans but will not meet West Brom’s £20m valuation, reports The Daily Mirror.

The Gunners have been given a clear run at Evans with Manchester City now on the verge of breaking their club transfer record to land Athletic Club centre-back Aymeric Laporte.

Arsenal are on the verge of breaking their own transfer record to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but are not prepared to pay a premium price to prise Evans to the Emirates.

The 30-year-old will be allowed to leave West Brom for £3m in the summer if the Baggies are relegated this season and Arsenal would rather wait until then instead of meeting West Brom’s valuation this month.

In the last three Premier League campaigns, only Simon Francis (380) and Laurent Koscielny (357) have won possession in the defensive third more times than Evans (342).