Arteta pencils in Everton talks

Mikel Arteta is set to hold further talks with Everton in a bid to seal a move after dismissing suggestions he is holding out for a bumper pay deal.

Everton have already agreed a £2.8million fee with Real Sociedad for the services of Arteta, who last season made a significant impact at Goodison Park after spending the final three and a half months on loan.

Manager David Moyes had hoped to conclude a deal swiftly for Arteta this summer, only for the 23-year-old midfielder to claim he was not happy with Everton's pay offer.

The former Barcelona, Paris St Germain and Rangers star claimed he felt undervalued, and with Everton in the Champions League, the club "should make an effort with players' contracts."

There was also the insinuation on Wednesday that Liverpool would steal Arteta from their Merseyside rivals.

But Arteta's agent, Luis Ignatio Ibanez, is angered at such a notion, and also refutes the comments claimed to have been made by his player.

"There is no truth in the Liverpool links," insisted Ibanez in the Liverpool Echo.

"I read comments yesterday on the internet and in some English newspapers, which Mikel is supposed to have said, and they are not true.

"Mikel has not given an interview to any journalist in the last two months and I am angry with the way he has been portrayed.

"It is important people in Liverpool do not get the wrong idea about Mikel.

"He wants to go to Everton, he wants to play in the Champions League next season but he has to be careful about his decisions.

"We will have further meetings with Everton, but nothing is scheduled at present.

"It could be in the next day, it could be in a week, so I cannot say yet whether Mikel will be back with Everton in time for the start of pre-season training on Friday. But we will have more talks."