Ajax have rejected Chelsea’s initial offer for their left-back Jorrel Hato.
But they have held out an olive branch by sending a counter-proposal along with their rejection.
Hato has previously been linked with a move to the Premier League. Both Arsenal and Liverpool have both been monitoring the teenager.
But Chelsea have moved to the front of the queue as they attempt to complete a double Dutch move. They are also closing in on a deal for another Netherlands international, RB Leipzig midfielder Xabi Simons.
Reports suggest that the amount that was offered and turned down was around ₤34 million, with Ajax valuing the player closer to ₤40 million.
Ajax are currently on pre-season tour, although Hato did not play in the first match for them. It is inevitable to infer that he did not feature because they did not want to risk his transfer by him getting injured, although the official line was that he was not physically ready to take part.
