James McCarthy has been told he is not for sale

McCarthy told manager Ronald Koeman in a face to face meeting last Friday that he wanted to leave because he fears he will not play regularly at Everton.

Everton are digging in and trying to keep McCarthy having already told the likes of Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Newcastle that the Republic of Ireland international is not for sale.

But Leicester are also now targeting McCarthy, who missed Saturday’s win over Stoke with a groin problem that Koeman claimed could require surgery.