Arsenal tried to lure Jonny Evans with a late bid on deadline day only for West Brom to reject, stating the bid was ‘Derisory’.
According to The Telegraph, Arsenal failed in a bid for Jonny Evans on deadline day. Arsene Wenger’s side bid £12 million for the Northern Ireland international as the window was approaching its conclusion, with West Brom standing firm on their valuation of the player.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Jonny Evans has been well documented, as Arsene Wenger, time and again has made efforts to bring the defender to the Emirates. Evans was linked with a transfer since last summer, as they possibly looked to replace Shkodran Mustafi.
A deal couldn’t take place last summer, but Wenger followed up with his interest in the January window and was expected to make an offer following enquiries about the player. West Brom demanded Arsenal pay more than £25 million for their captain, but Wenger did not agree with the valuation.
Arsenal reportedly bid a measly £12 million, a bid which West Brom swiftly rejected calling it ‘derisory’. Wenger, however, did not follow up on the initial offer and Arsenal eventually failed to make any further move for the Northern Irishman as the window shut close.
Along with Arsenal, Manchester City too were heavily interested in Evans. Pep Guardiola liked the defender and was considering making a move but baulked at West Brom’s asking price for their 30-year-old defender.
Manchester City, at the end of January, eventually ended their interest, after signing Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao in a £56 million deal. This left Arsenal with a free run at Evans’s signature, but could not come close to what West Brom wanted for the player.
Arsenal also tried to offer Mathieu Debuchy as part of a deal for the West Brom captain, but nothing materialised as the French defender joined St Ettiene in a free transfer after both Arsenal and the player mutually terminated his contract.
At the beginning of January, both Arsenal and Manchester City were confident of a deal for Evans, but West Brom’s rigidness meant the defender spent the rest of the season with them. It remains unclear if either of those clubs will follow up their interest in the summer.
Jonny Evans however, has a clause in his current contract which could allow him to leave West Brom in the summer for £3 million if the Baggies are to be relegated from the Premier League. Arsene Wenger could well look into a deal for the defender when the summer window opens again, as he will undoubtedly be on the lookout for defensive reinforcements.