The video will start in 8 Cancel

Use your head and sign up now for the Everton FC newsletter Sign up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Everton are not willing to meet Sunderland’s £30m valuation of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

The Blues, the ECHO understands, had an offer of £8m turned down earlier this month.

Everton remain keen on 23-year-old but have baulked at the relegated Black Cats’ price tag.

It is believed that the Blues hierarchy would be willing to go as high as £15m for the England under-21 international.

Sunderland don’t want to be seen to sell their star player on the cheap following their demotion to the Championship but risk pricing themselves out of the market by slapping.

Everton boss Ronald Koeman remained coy on whether he would target a new goalkeeper this summer but the ECHO understands that Pickford has been on their wishlist for several months.

The young stopper has impressed this term despite Sunderland’s struggles and Everton are leading the chase for his signature.

But they are prepared to walk away from negotiations if Sunderland persist with their £30m valuation of Pickford.

Pickford made 135 saves this season, the second highest in the division behind Burnley’s Tom Heaton.

Joel Robles finished the season in goal for the Blues but admitted last week that his future is “not very clear”.

The Spaniard had made 17 consecutive starts from late December but was dropped for the game at West Ham.

But injury to Maarten Stekelenburg saw Robles regain his place for the final two games of the season yet this long-term future remains uncertain as Everton pursue Pickford.