Brighton have rejected a second offer from Arsenal for Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo and have told Premier League leaders he is not for sale.
The latest offer is said to be in the region of £70million.
Arsenal and Chelsea both turned down offers for the 21-year-old last week.
Caicedo informed Brighton in an open letter that he wanted a move, with the club responding by telling him to take time until after Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
He missed Sunday 2-1 FA Cup win over Liverpool with manager Roberto de Zerbi saying he wants Caicedo to finish the season with the club.
Brighton are sixth in the Premier League, five points behind fifth-placed Tottenham, but two games clear of Antonio Conte’s side.
“[Brighton chairman] Tony Bloom knows my opinion very well. We’ve lost [Leandro] Trossard and if we also lose Caicedo, it’s a problem for us if we want to fight for Europe,” De Zerbi said on Sunday.
“If we don’t lose Caicedo, we are ready to fight.”
The Seagulls, who sold Trossard to league leaders Arsenal for £21m plus add-ons earlier this month, have already turned down a £60m offer from the Gunners for Caicedo, and are also said to have rejected an earlier offer of £55million by Chelsea.
Ahead of Sunday’s match, the Brighton manager said Caicedo had made a “mistake” in asking to leave the club.
“For everyone there are many solutions. We will see the best solution for him and for us,” said the Italian.
Caicedo has made 26 appearances for Brighton in the Premier League, scoring twice, and is under contract until 2025.
