‘At this moment’: Everton feel £40m player is now really overpriced, they’re refusing to pay – journalist

Everton are refusing to pay the £40 million fee that it would cost to sign Wilfried Gnonto.

That’s according to journalist Dean Jones, who has claimed that the Toffees won’t go any higher than their most recent bid of £25m.

Gnonto has been heavily linked with a move to Goodison Park all summer and looked increasingly likely to get his wish after refusing to play for Leeds United.

The winger hasn’t featured for the Whites since their Championship opener against Cardiff City as he looked to force through his exit.

The Yorkshire outfit insisted that Gnonto wasn’t for sale and the 19-year-old took matters into his own hands when he handed in a written transfer request last week.

Everton followed with a new £25m bid to try and lure Gnonto back to the Premier League, however their offer was immediately rejected and has now been welcomed back to first team training at Thorp Arch.

Everton don’t want to pay £40m to sign Wilfried Gnonto

Sean Dyche’s side have since been linked with alternative attackers and it looks like their pursuit of Gnonto may be over, with Everton one of a number of clubs refusing to meet his valuation.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “I still believe he [Gnonto] is hopeful of a big club coming in for him that offers an escape route but at this moment no one is coming forward with big enough money so he is stuck.

“Everton would not go above £25m and Leeds are not even considering that sort of money because of how wild the transfer market has been this summer.

“I think it’s going to take closer to £40m and there are not many clubs that are going to go there.”

Leeds United are set to face Ipswich Town this weekend and it is yet to be seen whether Gnonto will return to the match-day squad. However, it certainly looks like his determination to earn a move away has failed.