Sheffield Wednesday want Cardiff City star Kenwyne Jones - but the Bluebirds insist he would be allowed to leave cheaply.
Jones spent time on loan at Wednesday more than a decade ago, scoring seven goals in seven matches, and now the Yorkshire club are keen to take him back to Hillsborough.
Portuguese coach Carlos Carvalhal is in charge at Wednesday but WalesOnline understands club advisor Glenn Roeder is heading up the interest in the giant striker.
The Owls initially asked about taking Jones on loan for the season, in a deal which might have involved the Bluebirds paying part of his wages, but they have not made a firm offer to sign him.
A Cardiff City source said: “We have not had an offer letter or a verbal letter. Nothing.
“If another club wants to sign one of our players they should make their offer and we would consider that on merit.
"We won’t let players go for less than we feel they are worth.”
Cardiff stayed firm on their £5m-plus valuation when Premier League West Brom wanted to sign goalkeeper David Marshall and the Midlands club have not returned with more than the initial £4m they offered.
Jones only has one year left on his contract but the Bluebirds insist that won't drive down his price and are prepared to gamble on him leaving for free next summer.
He was Cardiff’s top scorer on 14 goals last season and has a key role in the plans of manager Russell Slade, who is also keen to bring in another centre-forward to add more competition in attack.
Jones has yet to start a match for Cardiff this season, having suffered a minor calf strain after reporting back late because he was playing for Trinidad and Tobago during the Concacaf Gold Cup in America.
Alex Revell has started all four fixtures for the Bluebirds so far this season, with Jones left out, but indications are that Russell Slade is looking to pep up the potency of his strike force with 12 days of business remaining in the current transfer window.
Jones, 30, is in contention to start alongside Joe Mason in Saturday’s home Championship clash against Wolves.
While Jones' exit is far from certain, fellow strikers Javi Guerra and Etien Velikonja look sure to leave this month, as does goalkeeper Joe Lewis.