Cardiff City's hopes of signing Jens Hjertø-Dahl have suffered a significant setback after reports in Norway claimed Hull City are closing in on an agreement with Tromsø for the highly-rated midfielder.
The Bluebirds have made the 20-year-old one of their priority targets this summer and have spent weeks negotiating with the Norwegian club, even lodging what would be a club-record bid in an effort to land the Norway under-21 international.
However, the transfer race appears to have taken a dramatic turn.
Hull City 'close to agreement' after massive bid
According to iTromsø, newly-promoted Premier League side Hull City are now "close to an agreement" with Tromsø after submitting what has been described as a "massive bid" for Hjertø-Dahl.
The report claims the two clubs are edging towards a deal that would see the midfielder move to Humberside ahead of Hull's return to the Premier League.
It comes amid fresh claims from fellow Norwegian outlet Nordlys that Tromsø have increased their asking price even further.
Cardiff had previously tabled an offer worth just over 100 million Norwegian kroner - around £7.8million including add-ons - but Nordlys now reports the figure being discussed between clubs and agents has risen to around £10million.
That would represent another significant increase on the valuation Cardiff have been negotiating against throughout much of the summer.
Hull's promotion gives financial edge
Hull's promotion to the Premier League means they are in a position to meet those financial demands, according to the report, although Austrian giants RB Salzburg also remain firmly in the picture and could yet submit their own offer.
Speaking after Tromsø's Europa League exit to Hradec Králové on Thursday night, Hjertø-Dahl admitted it was "cool" to be attracting interest from clubs such as Hull and Salzburg.
Asked about speculation linking him with both sides, he said: "It's cool that clubs like this are coming."
However, when questioned about whether the Premier League or Austrian Bundesliga appealed more, he replied: "I can't comment on that."
The midfielder also insisted no immediate move was planned.
"The plan is that I'm going to Ålesund," he said after Thursday's defeat.
"So you never know. Suddenly 24 or 48 hours go by and something happens."
Transfer unlikely before weekend
Nordlys reports Hjertø-Dahl is still expected to be included in Tromsø's squad for Sunday's league clash with Ålesund, suggesting any transfer is unlikely to be completed before next week.
The latest developments represent a significant shift in the pursuit for the player.
As WalesOnline reported earlier this week, Cardiff's interest in Hjertø-Dahl has remained unwavering despite growing competition.
The Bluebirds' improved offer, worth around £7.8million with approximately £6.2m guaranteed up front, underlined just how highly Brian Barry-Murphy and the club's recruitment department rate the midfielder.
Tromsø subsequently responded with a counter-proposal and discussions had remained ongoing.
Cardiff have viewed Hjertø-Dahl as the ideal player to strengthen their midfield ahead of their Championship return, although club officials are also conscious that reinforcements are still required in several other positions before the transfer window closes.
Whether Cardiff are prepared to return with an improved offer in response to Hull's latest move remains to be seen.
The Bluebirds are, however, expected to make progress elsewhere in the coming days.
