Everton slapped a £50 million price-tag Ross Barkley this summer.
The Sunday Mirror says Manchester City ditched a plan to sign Barkley after being told it would take a bid of more than £50million to tempt Everton to sell.
City were willing to go to £30m - and were offering additional payments should Barkley realise his huge potential.
A City insider said: "Barkley was seen as one of the few homegrown English players in the world game who would improve the squad."
