West Brom are ready to sell Jonny Evans after lining up Ali Gabr as his replacement.
The Premier League strugglers intend to sell centre-back and skipper Evans this month to free up funds for a new striker.
Arsenal want £25million-rated Evans with Man City also interested after trying to buy him last summer.
Baggies boss Alan Pardew then intends to reinvest the cash on a new striker like Watford’s Troy Deeney or Newcastle’s Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Albion have teed up an agreement with Egyptian club Zamalek to take centre-back Ali Gabr on loan until the end of the season.
The Hawthorns club will pay Zamalek £438,000 to take Gabr, 29, on a six-month loan with a £1.1m option to buy him in the summer.
But today (Wednesday) Albion were still insisting they are yet to receive a bid or contact from either the Gunners or league leaders City for Evans.
Albion are confident in Gabr’s ability though after the successful loan of compatriot Ahmed Hegazi, which they have already made permanent.