Alan Pardew Admits Arsenal's Late Bid for Jonny Evans Didn't Knock Baggies 'Off Our Chair'

West Brom boss Alan Pardew has revealed the Baggies rejected a deadline day offer from Arsenal for the services of defensive stalwart Jonny Evans - with the figure offered not remotely close to the asking price.

Evans had been tipped for a move away from the Hawthorns in the last two transfer windows as the Baggies looked to free up funds for an attacker, with the Gunners and Manchester City having been heavily linked due to their needs for defensive reinforcements. 

The Baggies and Pardew remained insistent that their skipper would not be sold at the last-minute if they could not replace him, with a £25m price-tag a non-negotiable. 

The 30-year-old was then subject to, what is reported to be, a bid in the region of £12m from the north London club, which was dismissed without further discussion according to the Mirror. 

Pardew said: “It wasn’t for a lack of warning to the clubs like Arsenal. I sat here every week saying there was no point coming in late unless it was going to knock us off our chair.

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“It was nowhere near that. They got the response they were expecting with that bid. Jonny is an important, great player and part of the spine of the team.”

Arsenal's transfer window ended without a defensive reinforcement whilst City secured highly-rated defender Aymeric Laporte for a club record fee.

Evans missed the Baggies defeat to league leaders Manchester City on Wednesday due to injury, Pardew remained coy on whether the club captain would be fit to return to action against Southampton.

With West Brom cemented to the bottom of the table the 56-year-old put the onus on the club's new players, most notably Daniel Sturridge - on loan from Liverpool - to "deliver" and ensure the winter window was a success.