Everton and Leicester City target Rafa Silva rejects Besiktas offer

Everton and Leicester City target Rafa Silva has reportedly rejected the opportunity to move to Besiktas amid suggestions of his desire to ply his trade in the Premier League.

Silva has proved to be a real disappointment for Benfica since joining from Braga in the summer of 2016. The 24-year-old, who primarily operates as a right winger, has started just once in the Portuguese league this season and made just one substitute appearance in his side's ill-fated Champions League campaign, which saw them lose all six of their matches, scoring just once.

Besiktas and Bursaspor were both looking to hand Silva away out of the Estadio de Luz in January, but according to Portuguese outlet O Jogo the former Braga star swiftly rejected the advances from both sides and has no desire to spend any of his career in Turkey.

News of Silva's rejection will encourage Everton and Leicester, who have both been credited with an interest in the 10-time Portugal international. Benfica, who paid close to £14m to sign the winger 18 months ago, are said to be open to allowing Silva to join any interested party on loan with a preference to insert a €30m purchase option into any deal, according to A Bola, relayed by Sport Witness, though they are not desperate to have such a clause included in a prospective temporary switch.

Everton recently welcomed back wideman Yannick Bolasie to the first-team set-up but are in need of some added pace and an injection of attacking quality, though they have gone some way to remedying their toothless nature with the recent signing of Cenk Tosun from Besiktas.

Sam Allardyce is keen to see more fresh faces arrive at Goodison this month and is looking to strengthen a number of positions before the end of January, with Swansea City's Alfie Mawson and Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure in the former England manager's thoughts, according to the Mirror.

Mawson is one of the few Swansea players to have impressed in recent seasons and is being eyed by Allardyce as he searches for younger alternatives to veteran duo Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams. Carlos Carvalhal's side will not want to part with their star defender during the middle of a relegation battle, but their stance over the former Barnsley centre-half may soften if Everton meet their £25m valuation.

With a deal for Sevilla midfielder Steven N'Zonzi failing to progress sufficiently, Allardyce is looking for alternatives to the Frenchman and has reportedly earmarked Doucoure as a realistic target. The French midfielder has developed into a well-rounded midfield star under Watford boss Marco Silva, scoring six league goals already this season, but Everton have found the Hornets to be resilient negotiators after their pursuit of the former Hull City boss proved unsuccessful.