Venezuela star ready to quit Athletic Bilbao for Everton

Everton target Fernando Amorebieta is ready to quit Athletic Bilbao and could be set for a switch to Goodison Park.

The 27-year-old came through the ranks at Bilbao and is closing in on 200 La Liga appearances for his boyhood side.

But Bilbao are going through a period of augmentation after selling key player Javi Martinez to Bayern Munich last season and with Fernando Llorente set to leave for Juventus, and Amorebieta feels it is time to move on.

Bilbao have offered the centre-back a new five-year deal worth a total of £8.5m, according to Spanish paper AS, but unless the Venezuela international agrees to the deal by the end of the week the proposition will be withdrawn.

Amorebieta holds a Spanish passport so a move to Merseyside would no problems for the player or interested manager David Moyes.