West Ham lodge £7.5m Mirallas bid as Everton stand firm

 

The Belgium international has been identified as a potential acquisition by manager Slaven Bilic as he overhauls his squad, although the
Toffees are hoping to recoup £10 million

West Ham are attempting to sign Kevin Mirallas from Everton but are struggling to agree a fee with the Merseyside club, SportGigs understands.

The Hammers have tabled an improved £7.5 million bid for the Belgium international as they seek to bolster their attack, having had an initial £6m offer rejected over the weekend.

Everton are refusing to budge from their £10m valuation of the player, especially given that they were beaten to defender Angelo Ogbonna by the London club.

Sources have confirmed that the Toffees’ offer for the Italian defender bettered that from West Ham, though Ogbonna instead chose to move to Slaven Bilic’s side, much to Roberto Martinez’s chagrin.

West Ham launched a £9 million bid for Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez last week, which is understood to have been rejected, and are now pursuing other options even though Bilic remains hopeful a breakthrough will be made.

Mirallas’s versatility also appeals to the Croatian, who replaced Sam Allardyce as manager earlier this summer.

Mirallas, who has long been mooted as a potential Tottenham target, can play both out wide and through the middle and scored 11 goals for Everton from his position on the wing in 2014-15.

Bilic's side have embarked on a major recruitment drive this summer, signing Ogbonna, Pedro Obiang, Dimitri Payet, Darren Randolph and Manuel Lanzini so far.

SPORTGIGS By Harry Sherlock