Al Nassr fail with £90m offer for surprise Premier League star
- Al Nassr looking to strengthen around Cristiano Ronaldo this month
- Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran set to move to Middle East
- Brighton knock back huge approach for Kaoru Mitoma
By Tom Gott
Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr have failed with a huge move to sign Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma which reports suggest could have been worth as much as £90m.
With Cristiano Ronaldo's contract winding down, Al Nassr have attempted to be aggressive in their pursuit of reinforcements this month. Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran is closing in on a move worth an initial €77m (£64.5m) and there are plans to continue their spending spree.
However, Mitoma will not be joining Duran in the Middle East. The Athletic revealed an opening bid worth €65m (£54.4m) was formally rejected by the Seagulls, who were determined not to sell.
James Benge then claimed that Al Nassr were in the process of readying a second bid for Mitoma which could have been worth as much as £90m if all bonuses were triggered, with the proposal believed to be based around an up-front fee of £65m.
Despite the chance to cash in on the 27-year-old, Brighton have remained firm in their stance and BBC Sport report that they warned Al Nassr there simply was not a price at which they would negotiate Mitoma's sale.
As a result, Al Nassr have begrudgingly walked away from the table and must now look elsewhere for reinforcements ahead of the Saudi transfer deadline on Friday.
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