Everton are targeting a late move for Arsenal defender Ashley Maitland-Niles.
Maitland-Niles emerged as the latest name in Rafael Benitez’s search for supplementary options at right-back ah Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
Goodison Park chiefs have lodged an offer of a season-long loan for the England international, who can also operate as a midfielder, with a future option to buy.
But the Gunners are yet to relent on their plans to retain Maitland-Niles, something which led to an impassioned plea from the player on social media.
In a post on Instagram, he wrote: “All I want to do is go where I’m wanted & where I’m going to play @Arsenal.”
Rangers’ Nathan Patterson is another under consideration by the Blues but have seen successive bids of £5 million and £8m rejected by the Scottish champions.
Elsewhere, Benitez has lined up a reunion with Salomon Rondon, who worked under him during spells with both Newcastle United and Dalian Professional.
The Venezuela international spent the second half of last season on loan at CSKA Moscow and would arrive on Merseyside as cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
A deal for Rondon, 31, is likely to be preceded by the departure of Moise Kean, who is set to return to Juventus in an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy.
Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, has withdrawn from Gareth Southgate’s England squad after picking up a thigh strain in last weekend’s win against Brighton.