Leicester City will have to improve their £3m offer for Jermaine Beckford to tempt Everton into selling the 27-year-old only a year after his arrival at Goodison Park.

Everton rejected a bid that could eventually rise to £3m from the Championship club on Friday and there have been no further offers for a striker who scored 10 goals in his debut Premier League campaign last season, despite rival interest from Steve McClaren at Nottingham Forest.

Beckford arrived at Everton on a free transfer from Leeds United last summer and, despite initially struggling to adapt to the Premier League and starting mostly on the bench, his form improved in a side that struggled for goals.

David Moyes has again been unable to improve his forward options this summer and it would be a surprise if he sanctioned Beckford's departure, particularly given the doubts over Everton's ability to finance a replacement and the manager's desire to sell Yakubu Ayegbeni.

Yakubu and Joseph Yobo have not featured in Moyes's pre-season plans and both played for the reserves against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday. Yakubu scored in the 2-2 draw and was watched by scouts from several Championship clubs.