David Moyes doesn't intend on selling Lamine Kone

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David Moyes is doing everything he can to keep Lamine Kone at the Stadium of Light.

On Tuesday, Moyes admitted to rejecting an offer for Kone but also suggested that Sunderland's board didn't turn down the bid outright. A transfer request was submitted by the 27-year-old centre-back after Everton reportedly placed an £18-million proposal for the player, and the Toffees are apparently prepared to pay £21 million.

"Kone will stay," Moyes said, according to Louise Taylor of the Guardian. "The offer's been rejected by me, yes. I've had that offer for a while now and I could have invested the money two weeks ago but doing that is very difficult. Given the prices, it would be very difficult to replace Lamine. Unless we could get a suitable replacement, I would never do the deal."

Kone ruled himself out of Sunderland's team sheet for the Black Cats' 2-1 defeat at home to Middlesbrough, claiming he had a back injury. Moyes was inevitably asked about the self-diagnosed ailment, to which he pointedly replied: "He says he's got a bad back. We've offered him an immediate new contract but his choice is still to go, to leave. He said 'no' to the offer."

Moyes allegedly ordered Kone to stay away from Sunderland after ruling himself out of the Premier League fixture, but he is due to return to the Black Cats' training ground on Wednesday and be assessed by the club's medical staff.