Report: Everton not put off Italian star by high asking price, could pay £20m in January

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The Toffees are not giving up on one of their primary transfer targets despite the setback.

Everton have not given up on their hopes of signing Napoli star Manolo Gabbiadini despite seeing a £14.5 million bid rejected last week, according to a report from the Daily Mirror.

Gabbiadini has been a primary transfer target for the Toffees for some time, and Ronald Koeman is a huge fan of the six-times-capped Italy international.

The Toffees saw their substantial offer for the 25-year-old rebuffed at the end of last week, with it being reported that the Serie A club want £20 million for one of their leading attacking stars.

That is a considerable sum for a player who has never played outside of his native country, but the Mirror reports that Everton have not been deterred from the chase.

Gabbiadini has scored just three times in 15 appearances for Napoli so far this season after falling down the pecking order behind summer signing Arkadiusz Milik.

According to calciomercato.com, Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri does not have faith in the star to step up to the plate during Milik’s lengthy injury absence, and Everton are considering paying the full £20 million next month.

However, the Italian publication also claims that La Liga giants Atletico Madrid scouted Gabbiadini last weekend as Napoli beat Inter Milan 3-0.

Koeman will no doubt be hoping that a more successful European club does not scupper his pursuit of Gabbiadini, and he may have to persuade Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri to pay up quickly when the window opens on New Year’s Day.