England midfielder Nick Barmby has rocked his club Everton by rejecting a new £1.25million-a-year deal.

The 26-year-old has been in talks with the Merseyside club for the past three months but their failure to reach an agreement casts a serious shadow over his Goodison future and could spark one of the summer's biggest transfer scrambles.

Barmby was in sparkling form with Everton for most of the past season and after gatecrashing England's Euro 2000 squad, his subsequent displays in the friendlies against Ukraine and Malta have given him a serious chance of starting against Portugal next Monday.

An Everton insider revealed: 'It seems Nick has been given a similar 'take-it-or-leave-it' ultimatum to the one Don Hutchison was given. Hopefully, it can be settled but after seeing what's happened with Don, who knows?'

Barmby's advisers will now wait and see if new Everton owner Bill Kenwright, one of his biggest admirers who openly touted the player to England boss Kevin Keegan, and his board change their minds and reopen talks once he completes his national service in Belgium and Holland.

If not, he could join former skipper Hutchison on his way out this summer. Both players have a year left on their contracts and Hutchison looks certain to depart within the next few weeks as Sunderland, Celtic, Coventry and Celta Vigo all prepare bids for the Scotland international.

Everton took a hard line with 29-year-old Hutchison when he rejected a £12,000-a-week deal in February.

He demanded parity with top earners like John Collins, reported to be on the £1.25m-a-year that Barmby has also been offered, and slammed the £12,000-a-week terms as 'a disgrace'.

Everton fans are resigned to Hutchison's departure but they will be up in arms if Barmby, a record £5.75million buy from Middlesbrough in October 1996, is allowed to leave.

The former Spurs man's return to the international scene after four years can be largely credited to Everton boss Walter Smith, who switched him from attack to the flanks.

Last season he grabbed 10 goals and Smith said: 'Nick is an exceptional team player. He has a good attitude and his new success with England comes as no surprise to me.'