Chelsea have reportedly had a £32m bid rejected by Valencia for Andre Gomes, with the La Liga side holding out for at least £42m.
The Portugal international is currently on duty with his national team at Euro 2016, but was unable to inspire them to a win over Iceland in their tournament opener on Tuesday night.
However, he did provide a timely reminder of what he is capable of with an assist for Nani’s goal, and he will now hope to build on that and continue to play a fundamental role for Fernando Santos’ men.
According to Sky Sports, as seen below, his club future has been a topic of discussion on Wednesday morning, with Valencia turning down Chelsea’s bid.
It is reported that Los Che are keen to drive up the offer as Benfica will receive 25 per cent of any transfer fee, as per their agreement when selling the Portuguese star to Valencia last year.
In turn, the La Liga outfit want at least £42m for him, which will allow them to keep a significant amount of money to reinvest in the squad and try to replace Gomes.
The 22-year-old scored four goals and provided seven assists in 41 appearances in all competitions last season, and became an important part of the team as they continued to struggle.
Whether or not Antonio Conte returns with an improved offer now remains to be seen, but it’s clear that interest is high in the Portuguese ace, and a move to England is a very realistic possibility as the two clubs will now likely continue negotiations in order to try and reach a compromise on the fee.
BREAKING: Sky sources: Valencia reject Chelsea bid of £32m for Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes. #SSNHQ https://t.co/DElrhJ8BYP
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) June 15, 2016