Cardiff City are leading the chase for Tromsø midfielder Jens Hjertø-Dahl after Rangers shifted focus to another target, according to Norwegian journalist Lars Eidissen.
Bidding War and Rejected Offers
Reports indicate Cardiff had an opening offer of around £5.5 million rejected, matching information from Tromsø. Rangers also made a similar bid but appear to be fading after closing in on Partizan captain Vanja Dragojevic for £4 million, taking their central midfielders to 11.
Eidissen, covering the story for Nordlys, said: "What we know from last week was there was an initial, call it a bid. It was like a firm enquiry from Rangers at a fee of around £5.5 million. That was rejected. And then came Cardiff, supposedly with a bigger offer."
Negotiation Room and Player Preference
Tromsø are asking for around £8.5 million (100 million Norwegian kroner), but Eidissen believes negotiations could lower that figure. "I think that's their ballpark figure. And realistically, they could probably go a bit lower, like 90 [million kroner, £6.9 million]," he said.
In January, Besiktas agreed a fee of about 90 million kroner with Tromsø, but Hjertø-Dahl turned down the move. Eidissen noted: "He has been on record saying that Rangers is more interesting than Besiktas. And my impression is, he would feel the same way about the Championship."
Midfielder's Profile and Future
Hjertø-Dahl, 20, has over 100 first-team appearances for Tromsø and is fourth in the Norwegian league for goals and assists among midfielders, with six goals and two assists in 12 appearances this season. Described as a box-to-box midfielder, he excels in the air and has been close to the Norwegian World Cup squad.
Eidissen added: "He has always been very much a Tromsø kid… But this year you have seen a little bit of change, in that he feels the time could be right for a bigger challenge."
Cardiff, preparing for their Championship return, view a No. 6 as a priority. Hjertø-Dahl fits that need, and the latest signals from Norway suggest the Bluebirds remain firmly in contention.
