Southampton has had a low-ball bid rejected by Real Valladolid for highly-rated centre-back Mohammed Salisu.
Reports from France Football claim the bid was snubbed as it fell short of the 21-year-olds £10m release clause.
Ralph Hassenhutl's side are said to have been tracking the Ghanian since January and have stepped up their interest with the summer transfer window now open.
Salisu has featured 31 times for La Liga outfit Real Valladolid in the league this season who currently sit 14th in the table.
Salisu favours a Southampton move
Interestingly FootMercato reports the young defender would actually prefer a move to Southampton - as with Fraser Forster who preferred a Saints return over remaining with Celtic.
Salisu's has his mother's tongue which happens to be English and is why he favours a Premier League move, Rennes president Nicolas Holveck said last week.
Wolves, Newcastle, Manchester United, Everton and Watford have all been linked with Salisu in recent months with Rennes giving up on landing the highly-rated defender.
Real Valladolid are unwilling to budge
Real Valladolid are unwilling to move on the £10m buyout clause and are expecting Saints to pay-up if the South Coast side wants their man.
The La Liga side is safe in the knowledge that if Southampton won't pay then another side will, with the amount of interest Saliu has gained in recent months.
2019/20 is Salisu's breakout season in senior football have risen through the youth ranks at Real Valladolid via their B side and youth teams.