Arsenal, Man City will have to spend £35m on proven defender, claims journalist
West Brom will demand in the region of £35m for Arsenal and Man City target Jonny Evans, according to Dharmesh Sheth
Arsenal and Manchester City have been warned that Jonny Evans will likely cost around £35m to sign in January.
The Northern Ireland international has been linked with a move to a top-six club since the summer transfer window.
Evans has established himself as a first-team regular at West Brom following a £10m move from Manchester United in 2015.
The 29-year-old is a defender with a wealth of Champions League experience from his long spell at Old Trafford.
Given he is a West Brom player, Evans isn’t cup tied in the Champions League or the Europa League to make him a good option in January.
Liverpool signed Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk in a £75m deal last week to make the Dutch star the world’s most expensive defender.
Sky Sports News reporter Sheth warned Arsenal and Manchester City that Evans will now come at a premium in the January transfer window.
“West Brom rejected £20-25m in the summer,” Sheth told the Transfer Talk podcast.
“Now if a club comes in for him in January, be it Man City or Arsenal, West Brom could turn around and say Van Dijk went for £75m, Evans is now worth £35m.
“The Van Dijk deal has put a premium on everything.”
Arsenal signed Bosnian full-back Sead Kolasinac in the summer on a free transfer but the former Schalke 04 man hasn’t resolved their defensive issues.
Pep Guardiola has struggled with injuries to centre-halves Vincent Kompany and John Stones in the current campaign.
