Brighton have turned down a £7.5m offer from Scottish Premiership side Rangers for winger Amario Cozier-Duberry.
The 21-year-old shone on loan at Bolton Wanderers last season, helping them win the League One play-offs with eight goals and 12 assists in 34 games, and earning a place in the League One Team of the Season.
Cozier-Duberry, who has under two years remaining on his deal at the Amex, featured prominently in pre-season under Fabian Hurzeler but was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 1-0 home win over Bologna.
Championship clubs remain interested in a loan, while Rangers are among several teams thought to be pursuing a permanent move.
Brighton are also exploring other wide options, including Millwall’s 25-year-old Femi Azeez, who is considered available at the right price and likely to leave before the 3 September transfer deadline.
The bid would have been Rangers’ second-largest transfer outlay in more than two decades. The Glasgow club paid £8m for Youssef Chermiti last summer, while Michael Ball and Tore Andre Flo commanded higher fees in the early 2000s.
Rangers ended a four-match winless start with a 5-1 Scottish Cup victory over St Mirren on Sunday, but they have been knocked out of the Europa League by Jagiellonia Białystok and drop into the Conference League play-offs.
After the two-leg defeat, new manager Derek McInnes, who arrived from Hearts in the summer, said the squad needs “help,” with full-backs and forwards among the priorities.
He noted that reinforcing the defence and wide areas is key, and that Youssef’s ACL injury means they must also address the forward line.