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West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew has told Arsenal they were warned about any late offers after their deadline day bid for Jonny Evans was rejected. Arsenal made a late approach on Wednesday which fell well short of the Baggies' asking price. Press Association Sport reported that the offer was worth £12 million but discussions were quickly ended by Albion, who value Evans at more than £20m. Pardew, who had stressed that bids would be met with short shrift the closer it got to deadline day, said: "It wasn't for lack of warning to Arsenal and to all the clubs. "I've sat here every week saying don't make a bid on the last day, because you're not going to get what you want, really. "Unless it's a bid that's going to knock us off our chair... and it was no way near that. So they got probably the response they were expecting with that bid, I think. "Jonny is a very, very important player. He is a great player. He is part of the spine of the team and that's what I tried to strengthen this window. "Jonny Evans hasn't moved on and we brought Daniel Sturridge to strengthen that area right through the middle of the pitch. I don't know which of the two was more important." Arsenal and Manchester City had made tentative enquires for Northern Ireland international Evans earlier in the window, but the Gunners did not firm up their interest until close to the deadline. Evans could return against Southampton at the weekend after missing Wednesday's 3-0 defeat at Manchester City with a hamstring problem.
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