According to The Times reporter Paul Joyce, the conversations have gathered pace as Everton weighs the cost of taking on a player whose weekly wages stand at £300,000 [$403,470], a figure City hopes to recover almost in full over the course of a season-long loan worth around £12m [$16m].

Everton have intensified efforts to sign Manchester City winger Jack Grealish and are not put off by his £300,000-a-week wages, according to reports. Grealish is surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium after a disappointing campaign.