Everton accept Lescott bid - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Everton accept Lescott bid

Everton have confirmed they have agreed a fee with Manchester City for the sale of defender Joleon Lescott.

The England international is expected to undergo a medical on Monday after City finally came up with a bid which met the Merseysiders' valuation of the player.

Having rejected two previous offers - the first about £18million - Everton are reported to have accepted £24million from City for Lescott.

Lescott will now meet with Manchester City and will sign subject to him successfully negotiating personal terms and passing a medical.

Toffees boss David Moyes was unhappy that the Eastlands club, bankrolled by Abu Dhabi's multi-millionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, were not prepared to pay what he thought was the going rate from the outset.

Asked if the Lescott deal was well advanced the Everton boss said following Sunday's 1-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Burnley: "If they (City) say they are quite far on I'm sure they are.

"But we shouldn't have been asked to wait this length of time for an amount of cash we think was the correct value for the player.

"Real Madrid came in with the money (£80million for Cristiano Ronaldo) for Manchester United the week after the end of the season.

"If the money had been offered in June it would have been a lot easier for us. The time is against us (to find a replacement)."

Moyes has repeatedly stated his desire to keep his best players at Goodison Park, however Lescott submitted a transfer request nearly two weeks ago.

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