Everton insist Idrissa Gueye is not for sale after rejecting a bid from Paris Saint-Germain.
The reigning Ligue 1 champions firmed up their recent interest in the Senegal international with a £21.5 million offer to the Blues which was flatly rejected.
Goodison Park chiefs are unwilling to entertain a sale of Gueye and the size of Les Parisiens’ bid is understood to fall below the club’s valuation of the player.
Marco Silva confirmed on Monday that PSG’s attempt to lure the midfielder to the French capital was turned down and reiterated Everton’s stance on keeping him.
He said: “My reaction is the same as our reaction as a club. We reject the offer.
“He is a really important player for us. We do not put players in the market for clubs to buy. I can’t see the value of Gana in this offer.
“He is a player we do not think of losing at this moment. He is important for us.”
Meanwhile Everton’s game with Manchester City has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 6.
The fixture had originally been set to take place on February 23 but has been brought forward due to the visitors’ involvement in the Carabao Cup final.