Southampton Accept £25m Bid From Everton for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Southampton have accepted a £25m bid from Everton for former captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Dane refused to extend his current deal at the club - which expires at the end of next season - and has spoken of his desire to leave the club this summer, with Everton and Tottenham swiftly emerging as the favourites for his signature.

However, while it's understood Hojbjerg is keen on joining the Lilywhites, the Telegraph report that the Saints have accepted an offer from the Toffees.

Tottenham are said to have finally tabled an offer of their own, but they currently value the player around the £15m mark - while Everton clearly value the midfielder closer to Southampton's initial £35m valuation.

Jose Mourinho hasn't given up on signing the former Bayern starlet this summer - with Hojbjerg preferring a move to north London - but it appears that they'll have to match the Toffees' offer. It remains to be seen whether Kyle Walker-Peters - who's currently enjoying a successful loan spell on the south coast - could be used to facilitate a deal and a reduced fee.

However, it's claimed that the Saints are only interested in a straight-cash deal for the 24-year-old, thus ruling out Spurs using Walker-Peters as a makeweight.

Both sides are in desperate need of midfield reinforcements this summer, with a player of Hojbjerg's profile an intriguing prospect for both.

While the Dane seems like a great systematic fit at Everton in Carlo Ancelotti's 4-4-2 with high-octane central midfielders, Hojbjerg is seen as the man to unlock the supreme talent of Tanguy Ndombele at Tottenham and his signing would go a long way to solving a number of problems.

Nevertheless, Everton appear to have taken pole position for now. Hojbjerg is even said to have agreed personal terms with the club, but this is a race which may evolve into a bit of a saga in the coming weeks.