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West Bromwich Albion 's faint hopes of signing Morgan Schneiderlin could end this weekend with Everton reportedly close to agreeing a fee with Manchester United.

The Baggies had an £18 million bid rejected last month, but are not expected to lodge an improved offer with Everton overwhelming favourites to secure the Frenchman.

The Toffees will now accelerate their efforts to land Schneiderlin having wrapped up the transfer of highly-rated young Charlton attacker Ademola Lookman.

The 19-year-old's fee could potentially rise to £11 million, but Everton have plenty left in the kitty with Iranian billionaire Farhad Moshiri bankrolling their ambitious recruitment drive.

Lookman is seen as one for the future and was a player Director of Football Steve Walsh had championed.

Schneiderlin, on the other hand, is very much a target Everton boss Ronald Koeman has campaigned for.

Everton had a £19 million bid snubbed earlier this week.

According to sources close to the Merseyside club, Everton and United are ready to "meet in the middle" and settle on a fee in the region of £22 million.

It's a fee Albion could climb to, but the Baggies are not about to up the ante with Schneiderlin seemingly intent on a reunion with Koeman, his boss at Southampton.

Everton are keen to get a deal done sooner rather than later with central midfielder Idrissa Gueye having joined up with the Senegal squad in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Speaking at a press conference today, Koeman said: "We need more quality in our midfield.

"We know what we want and the players we want, it's up to the board to make the deal we want.

"If not, we don't sign other players because that's not what I want.

"If we don't get the call from the board we prepare for the next game."