MOSCOW, January 14 (RIA Novosti) - English Premier League side Everton have dropped plans to sign Zenit St. Petersburg and Russian international Pavel Pogrebnyak, the Sport Express paper said on Wednesday.
Club official David Harrison said the club was unable to meet Zenit's asking price for the player. The club was reported to be interested in taking the forward on loan, but this option was rejected by both Zenit and Pogrebnyak.
Pogrebnyak missed Russia's Euro 2008 campaign through injury. A separate injury also saw him forced to sit out Zenit's victorious appearance in the UEFA Cup final in May.
Everton, who have been playing without a recognized striker following injuries to Yakubu, Louis Saha and James Vaughan and the summer sale of Andy Johnson, were also earlier linked with a bid for CSKA's Brazilian forward Vagner Love.
