Cardiff City's pursuit of Jens Hjerto-Dahl has taken a significant twist, with reports in Norway claiming two major European clubs are now preparing to rival the Bluebirds for the highly-rated midfielder.
Brian Barry-Murphy's side have been leading the race for the Tromsø star after submitting a package worth more than 100 million Norwegian kroner (£7.8million including add-ons), but Austrian champions RB Salzburg and Dutch giants Feyenoord are now said to be ready to enter the battle.
Details of Cardiff's offer and counter-proposal
According to Nordlys, both clubs have been closely monitoring Hjerto-Dahl throughout the summer and are now considering matching Cardiff's financial package after watching negotiations between the Bluebirds and Tromsø develop.
Cardiff have been in lengthy talks with the Norwegian club and have offered around 80 million kroner (£6.2m) up front, with bonuses taking the total package beyond 100 million kroner. However, Nordlys reports Tromsø have now responded with a counter-offer as negotiations continue.
Impact of new interest and European status
The report adds there remains optimism that Cardiff and Tromsø can still reach an agreement, but the emergence of RB Salzburg and Feyenoord might have slightly altered the landscape.
Feyenoord are already guaranteed a place in next season's Champions League after finishing runners-up in the Eredivisie, while Salzburg are set to enter the Europa League qualifying rounds. The Austrian side also boast an impressive record of developing elite young talent, with Erling Haaland, Dominik Szoboszlai, Sadio Mané, Benjamin Sesko, Karim Adeyemi and Dayot Upamecano all using Salzburg as a stepping stone to Europe's biggest clubs. Feyenoord, meanwhile, have also earned a reputation for nurturing top talent, with Robin van Persie, Georginio Wijnaldum and Marcos Senesi among those to have flourished in Rotterdam.
Cardiff boss comments and player's next match
The latest development comes after Cardiff boss Barry-Murphy admitted the club had been working "very, very hard" on transfer targets for a prolonged period. Speaking after Saturday's 5-1 win over Forest Green Rovers, he said: "We are very clear on what we need and who we want, it just takes time." Although he did not mention Hjerto-Dahl by name, the midfielder has emerged as Cardiff's priority target before the Championship campaign begins.
Tromsø are also balancing their European commitments, with Nordlys reporting there is currently every expectation that Hjerto-Dahl will feature in Thursday's Europa League qualifying second leg away to FC Hradec Králové. The Norwegian club could delay any transfer until after that fixture.
