Report: Arsenal Must Pay Higher Fee for West Brom's Jonny Evans
West Brom will hold Arsenal to ransom if the Gunners continue to pursue contract rebel Jonny Evans, according to the Sun.
The Baggies have informed Arsenal it will take an offer of at least £27m to get them around the negotiating table as Arsene Wenger looks to prise the ex-Manchester United star away from the Midlands.
Evans is refusing to pen a new contract at the Hawthorns, despite having 18 months left to run on his current deal.
And, whilst his stock is high with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City chasing his signature, West Brom may look to cash in on their captain whilst they can get a good fee for his services.
The north Londoners have spent the past fortnight locked in talks with West Brom's hierarchy over a suitable fee to conduct a transfer between the two clubs, and are now pressing on with those discussions after tying up a deal for United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
West Brom are reluctant to sell center-back Evans, but know full well that they stand to lose more cash if they cannot convince the 29-year-old to put pen to paper on a contract extension.
Alan Pardew's side are keen that most of the reported £27m price tag is paid up front instead of in installments, and it is unclear if Arsenal will up their offer for Evans before next Wednesday's transfer deadline day.
A bid of around £25m is believed to have been tabled by the Emirates-based side in recent days, but West Brom are holding out for a tad more before they agree to let Evans talk to Arsenal.
The Northern Ireland international was wanted by Premier League leaders City last summer, but West Brom chose to reject their £30m offer for him.
Now that the Citizens have supposedly tied up a £57m move for Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte, however, any chance of a bidding way for Evans has passed and West Brom could now sell up to Arsenal rather than keep an unhappy player.
