Everton Ready to Gazump Arsenal Contract Offer to Land England Midfielder This Summer

Everton have entered the race for Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, whose contract is set to expire this summer. 

The Toffees are reportedly willing to offer higher wages than the Gunners, who have hit something of an impasse in negotiations to renew the England international's deal.

According to MailOnline Sport, remaining at Arsenal is still Wilshere preference but the club's apparent lacking of willingness to up their contract offer could see Everton steal in to land the 26-year-old, who has had something of a mini-resurgence this season.

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According to the report, Everton are willing to offer Wilshere a sizeable signing on bonus in addition to a deal in-excess of the weekly wage he currently earns at Arsenal. 

Other recent reports have suggested that the former Bournemouth loanee is actually pretty likely to leave his boyhood club permanently this summer, after being asked to take a 25% pay cut, while Serie A heavyweights AC Milan and Juventus are also monitoring his situation.

The Mail suggests Wilshere, if pushed out of the Emirates, would perhaps unsurprisingly prefer to stay in England, making Everton's alleged big money offer an attractive one.

The Toffees have struggled this season despite a high profile summer in the transfer market. Sam Allardyce's side currently sit ninth, nine points off the top six and marquee signings such as Davy Klaassen, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Michael Keane have all struggled to make an impact since moving to Goodison Park.

After going out on loan in 2016/17, Wilshere has featured 30 times for the Gunners this season and appears to have put his injury problems behind him for the time being, completing a full 90 minutes on 20 occasions. 

Allardyce did not select Wilshere during his brief tenure as England manager, but has spoken highly of the midfielder in the past.

“If Jack Wilshere was playing every week for Arsenal, he would be in the squad. But unfortunately, he isn’t," Allardyce said back in 2016.