Olympique Lyonnais have rejected an opening proposal from RB Leipzig for promising centre-back Castello Lukeba.
According to French publication L’Equipe, Leipzig’s opening offer was worth €26 million plus an additional €6m in bonuses, but Lyon consider the proposal to be insufficient.
The Ligue 1 outfit are open to selling Lukeba this summer but want at least €30m in initial fees without add-ons. They also want to add a substantial future resale percentage to any potential deal.
Lyon need the cash, but they are not prepared to let their highly rated 20-year-old defender leave for cheap considering he has two years left on his current contract.
Leipzig are not the only club looking to snap up the youngster this summer, but the Germans are considered the front-runners to capture his signature.
They are preparing to lose the highly sought-after Josko Gvardiol, with Premier League champions Manchester City preparing a mega offer to secure his services.
Leipzig are determined to rake in at least €100m for the Croatia international and are fully aware the defender wants to leave the club this summer.
Man City are yet to table an official proposal for Gvardiol, but both clubs are holding concrete talks behind the scenes, and Leipzig are keen to secure a replacement for the youngster.
It remains to be seen if they will match Lyon’s counter-offer, but Lukeba is their primary target.
Leipzig are determined to pull off the transfer, having reportedly agreed personal terms with the player.
The French youth international has been a mainstay of the Lyon defence for the last two seasons emerging as one of France’s most promising defensive prospects, despite his team’s consecutive mid-table finishes.
He represented France at the just concluded under-21 European Championship tournament, helping Les Bleuets reach the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Ukraine.
