Source: Telegraph
Manchester City will continue pursuit of Everton's Joleon Lescott says Mark Hughes
Everton manager David Moyes launched an angry attack against City last week, calling the club's attempts to sign the England international "disgusting."
But City counterpart Mark Hughes is still determined to bolster his defence with Lescott before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
"When a deal has run its course we would be prepared to walk away," Hughes said after his side's season-opening 2-0 win at Blackburn. "At this moment in time, we are still to arrive at that position. Our interest is not finished yet.
"The headlines were quite predictable. I am not surprised David feels a bit aggrieved with the situation, you always are when a big club comes along trying to acquire one of your better players."
A first bid of £15 million was rejected by Everton at the start of July and an improved offer of £18 million was turned down at the end of the month.
Moyes is unhappy that Hughes never contacted him directly to discuss buying the centre back.
"We are doing things the right way and through the proper channels," Hughes responded. "We haven't put this into the public domain. Everton did that on their website."
Moyes is determined not to lose Lescott as Everton, like City, tries to break into the top four of the Premier League.
"There is no deal, is there? And I have said often enough that Everton are not selling," Moyes said at the weekend.
Everton were thrashed 6-1 by Arsenal on Saturday after Moyes had complained that his club was being disrupted by City's dogged pursuit of Lescott.
"They have been talking about it and we have not been talking about the start of the season, that has been disruptive," he said. "So maybe that is what the overall plan was."
