West Brom are intent on holding onto star defender Jonny Evans and have stated that Arsenal will have to pay £25 million to land the Northern Ireland international, according to The Telegraph.
The Gunners are in the market for defensive cover after injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista have left the North London club somewhat short of options at the heart of Arsene Wenger’s rearguard.
The French coach is believed to be a fan of Evans and considered a move for the versatile enforcer when he was leaving Manchester United.
Arsenal seem to be being held to ransom by the clubs that possess Gunners targets, with West Brom and Valencia both playing financial hardball over reported targets Evans and Shkodran Mustafi.
The Northern Ireland international has plenty of Premier League and Champions League experience, but paying such a sizeable fee looks unlikely.
As such, it may well be time for the North London club to go back to the drawing board and identify other alternatives as time int he transfer window winds down.
