Everton have approached Valencia for defender Carlos Marchena.

Everton are believed to have sounded out the Spanish club by suggesting a deal at around £2.2million, but Valencia want at least £3m, says the News of the World.

Marchena, 30, has just one year left on his contract and the hard-up La Liga club would rather receive a fee for the defender now than lose him for nothing next summer.

Valencia are keen to wait to do a deal until after the World Cup in the hope Marchena's value will have increased by the end of the tournament.