Arsenal and Manchester City hoping West Bromwich Albion will lower asking price for Jonny Evans

Arsenal and Manchester City are still interested in doing a deal for West Bromwich Albion defender Jonny Evans in January but are hoping the troubled Baggies will see fit to lower their £23m ($32.1m) asking price for the Northern Ireland international.

Evans has informed Alan Pardew's men that he wishes to leave the Midlands this month and the Baggies are more than willing to listen to offers for the former Manchester United star, who was close to leaving in the summer transfer window.

The 29-year-old has 18 months remaining on his current contract at the Hawthorns and is still attracting firm interest from Arsenal and City, who have also been linked with a move for Athletic Club's Aymeric Laporte, but they are hopeful West Brom will see fit to lower their £23m valuation of Evans to around £18m, according to the Times.

With money tight at West Brom, Pardew has been told he must sell to buy this month if he wishes to bring fresh faces into a relegation battle. The former Crystal Palace said last week that City and Arsenal have not yet approached his side over a deal for Evans this month but admitted he is "in the dark" over his captain's long-term future.

"From my point of view there is no bid so there's nothing to discuss," Pardew said in a recent press conference. "On the other hand, we have scenarios that are going to time out if we don't get a bid for Jonny that's acceptable for him and us.

"Jonny hasn't come and see me this week so I'm in the dark a little bit. We haven't had a phone call from another football club and that's where it stands."

West Brom's desire to sort Evans' future may stem from the relegation clause included in the former Sunderland loanee's contract, which will allow any interested party to sign him for a paltry £3m. The Baggies are confident of achieving Premier League survival, but they are not willing to risk losing such a vast sum of money on a player whose value will only depreciate in the coming months.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger recently spoke about his side's interest in Evans and told of his concern over the competition from City, the defender's preferred choice.

Pep Guardiola's are the bookmakers' favourite to clinch a deal for Evans, but according to Goal the Citizens are now readying a £60m deal to sign Laporte, who reneged on a deal to move to Manchester 18 months ago, while they are also keen to push through a move for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred.

The proposed arrival of Laporte would surely put paid to Evans' chances of plying his trade at the Etihad Stadium and in turn leave Arsenal to compete with long-term admirers Leicester City for his services.