Roy Hodgson has admitted it would take a "really big offer" from a "much bigger club than Crystal Palace " to allow Wilfried Zaha to leave.
The Palace winger axed his agent earlier this week after failing to secure a move away from Selhurst Park in the summer.
Zaha even handed in a transfer request on deadline day to try and force through a move to Everton , but Palace refused to let their star man go.
Arsenal were also interested in taking Zaha but failed to match Palace's valuation, and Hodgson aimed a dig at Everton, by suggesting a move to the Toffees would be a sidewards step.
“With Wilf, I don’t think anyone was thinking we definitely must block him because we want our best player still with us,” Hodgson said.
“We understood that if a really big offer comes his way and a much bigger club than Crystal Palace want him, and he is desperate to go, we are going to have to try and do some kind of deal."
Everton lodged a £70 million bid for Zaha, which included two players as part of the package, but it came too late for Palace to find a replacement.
Palace chairman Steve Parish has since claimed the 26-year-old 'deserves to play for a top club' but Hodgson has made clear his thoughts that Everton do not fit into that bracket.
“The unfortunate thing for Wilf is that offer did not come his way from the sort of club that he would want," Hodgson added.
“I think Steve Parish has made that clear to Wilf and they’ve thrashed that side of it out.”
Zaha reportedly axed his agent this week as he is believed to be unhappy with Salthouse's relationship with Parish.
He is said to told representative Will Salthouse and agency USM in writing that he wishes to terminate their agreement.
Parish declared recently that he will do everything possible to "find a solution" for his player.
