Arsenal: Arsene Wenger Targets £25 Million-Rated Defender

Jonny Evans
Jonny Evans at Selhurst Park, London, August 13. West Bromwich Albion has valued Evans at £25 million after interest from Arsenal. Alex Broadway/Getty

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been slapped with a £25 million ($33 million) price tag by West Bromwich Albion to sign defender Jonny Evans.

Wenger is desperately trying to bring in defensive cover at the Emirates Stadium after center-backs Gabriel Paulista and Per Mertesacker suffered long-term injuries.

But clubs have recognized Arsenal's heightened need for additions at the heart of its defense and have used the leverage to inflate valuations.

Wenger wanted to bring German Shkodran Mustafi to London but saw Valencia demand £50 million ($66 million) for the 25-year-old.

A year after West Brom signed Evans from Manchester United for a fee of £6 million ($7.8 million), the Baggies want more than four times what the club paid for him, according to the Daily Mail.

Evans spent almost a decade at Old Trafford before moving to The Hawthorns in the summer of 2015.

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