West Bromwich Albion are confident they’ll hang onto Jonny Evans, according to manager Alan Pardew and various inside sources.

On Tuesday, Pardew told Sky Sports that someone might leave the Baggies on deadline day, but he doesn’t think it will be Evans.

He said: “I think Jonny Evans will stay at this football club. We do have one player that could go out but it’s not Jonny Evans or James McClean.”

After that, on Wednesday morning, Sky Sports confirmed that they understand Evans is going nowhere.

The media have linked Arsenal to a move for the defender throughout the winter window.

Tony Pulis confirmed the Gunners’ interest in Evans back in September, so there was definitely something in it at some stage.

The team needs some sort of defensive reinforcement right now, as evidenced by the loss to Swansea. That collapse after taking the lead was the latest of many away games to go exactly the same way.

On the other hand, it’s been over a year and a half since the club first made efforts to sign the centre-back. Now he’s 30, and his valuation is almost as high as ever. It feels like Arsenal could spend the money better elsewhere.

It looks like the Gunners don’t have that option anyway, because Alan Pardew and West Brom have made up their minds for them.