The 22-year-old, who is currently on international duty with Cameroon at the Olympic Games, has demanded the Brittany club allow him to leave.

And he claims he has already spoken to Everton manager David Moyes about the move, which could net Mbia 1.5 million euros a year.

"I really like Pierre Dreossi, the club's general manager, and I believe that is reciprocal," Mbia said.

"At the end of last season, he promised me that if there was a good offer, he would accept that I could leave.

"This offer exists. It comes from Everton, who want to buy me for more than 8 million euros (£6.3million)."

He added in L'Equipe: "I want to leave Rennes.

"Everton are offering me 1.5 million euros a year - Rennes could never offer me that much.

"I owe everything to Rennes, my formative club. But they must understand me. In Africa, I have a family to feed. And I am very ambitious.

"Everton are a very established club in the Premier League, managed by David Moyes, a coach who puts trust in youngsters.

"I have spoken to him on the phone. He wanted to invite me to visit the club. I hadn't the time to do it."

Mbia, who can also fill in as a centre-half or a right-back, has two years left on his contract at Rennes.

But he expects the club to accommodate his wishes.

"It annoys me when I hear the Rennes directors say I am going to extend my contract. I am not going to extend my contract," he said.

"Rennes must understand me. There are things you can't turn down.

"I want the directors to come to an agreement. I have confidence in that.

"I have seen that Rennes have recruited a player with the same profile as me (Kader Mangane signed from Lens this week).

"Pierre Dreossi was a player, he knows what I feel. Coach Guy Lacombe also. He must accept my decision."