Everton have rejected an offer from Barnsley for on-loan midfielder Joe Williams, according to Barnsley manager Paul Heckingbottom.
It was reported a few days ago that Barnsley were looking to make a permanent offer, believed to be around £1million, for the 21-year old midfielder, but now Heckingbottom himself has confirmed that the bid was turned down.
Williams has impressed since joined Barnsley on loan in the summer and has been ever-present in the Tykes’ first team, playing 28 times and scoring one goal in all competitions so far this season.
Despite their offer though, Everton have turned the bid down. Talking about the Oakwell club’s attempt to sign the Huyton-born midfielder, Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Sheffield;
We did that, that’s come out. How much fact in the reports that have come out… there’s a little bit to it that’s true. I don’t know where it’s come from, whether it’s been Everton’s end, whether it’s been agents.
Yeah, there was a bid but that’s it. [It was] rejected. I don’t know [if Barnsley will make another offer].
He has done great here and we wouldn’t have made a bid if we didn’t think otherwise.
Williams joined Everton when he was seven years old, signing on as a first year scholar in June 2013.
Williams has yet to make his first-team debut for Everton. He appeared as an unused substitute in the club’s dead rubber Europa League fixture against FC Krasnodar in November 2014.
