Everton are bracing themselves for a £20million bid from Manchester City for Mikel Arteta.

City have abandoned hope of luring Steven Gerrard to Eastlands and feel Arteta is a more realistic proposition.

However, they risk re-opening their feud with Everton by moving for the Spanish star as relations between the clubs have not recovered after Joleon Lescott's bitter transfer wrangle last summer.

City refuse to let this put them off and believe they can tempt Arteta to join their blue revolution.

They can offer him a significant increase on his £60,000-a-week deal, which makes him the best-paid player at Goodison Park.