Hull City have made a bid in excess of £10m for Swansea City striker Zan Vipotnik, but the Swans have rejected it, holding firm on their valuation of the Championship's top scorer.
The bid, which was tabled on Monday afternoon, is the first firm offer for the 24-year-old that has come to light this summer. Hull City had not previously been mentioned among the suitors for the striker, but they have now entered the picture with a concrete proposal.
Why was Hull's bid rejected?
Sources have indicated to WalesOnline that Swansea are remaining firm on their valuation of the player, who last year was the top scorer in the Championship. The exact value of Hull's bid isn't yet known, but WalesOnline understands it was in excess of £10m.
Swansea believe they're in a strong position as things stand, and this bid shows they are sticking to their guns on Vipotnik's proposed price tag.
Will Hull come back?
Difficult to say. The suggestion at this stage is Hull aren't willing to meet Swansea's valuation for the player, and while nothing has been ruled out, it seems unlikely Hull will push forward unless Swansea's valuation comes down. At the moment, there's little sign of that happening, meaning a move to Humberside, as things stand, is a non-starter.
Is Vipotnik's valuation realistic?
Swansea certainly seem to think so. Vipotnik's 23 goals in the Championship last season alone are enough to see his value soar in this window. Tying him down to a new long-term deal has also strengthened the club's hand in the face of interest, and there's been a fair amount of it in the last few months.
There's also a feeling that sales elsewhere in the market have helped fortify Swansea's stance. Will Lankshear, who scored 11 goals on loan for Oxford United, was recently sold to Middlesbrough for an initial £10m, with that fee potentially rising to £20m. Swansea may subsequently feel that £20m for the league's top scorer is more than fair.
Could Swansea come down on their valuation?
It would really depend on how keen they are for a sale to happen this summer. At the moment, the line coming out of Swansea is they aren't actively looking to sell, and would actually like to keep him on board for the new season.
But there is a dilemma for Swansea to wrestle with. After all, there's no guarantee Vipotnik will back up his exploits with another successful campaign this time around. Should he fail to produce similar numbers, or, even worse, suffer a serious injury, his value will start to tumble.
No team wants to lose their best players, but for a club where player trading is still so important, picking the right time to sell a player is crucial. That then has to be balanced with a price tag that clubs are actually willing to pay. At the moment that isn't the case, with several of Vipotnik's other suitors believed to be baulking at Swansea's valuation.
If Swansea are keen for a big pay day this summer, it's not inconceivable they may decide to claim something more within the range of what clubs like Hull are looking for. Of course, the window becomes more of a seller's market the closer we get to deadline day, and it's possible a club desperately searching for a striker will, in contrast, tip more towards Swansea's demands.
Is there any sign of Vipotnik pushing things?
Not yet. Vipotnik is, as per his previous claims in the press, keen to play in the Premier League, and for that reason alone would be interested in hearing Hull out. But sources have stressed he remains happy at Swansea, and is more than willing to stay. Whether that stance will remain in the face of interest from a big club remains to be seen, but at the moment there hasn't been any sign of that happening. Vipotnik, at the moment, appears happy to stay.
The back-up plan
New sporting director Ben Stevens confirmed there was a plan of action should Vipotnik be sold, but declined to give any details. One could say the club already have their back-up plan in place. The fact the capture of Ross Stewart on a free transfer had sparked fresh questions over Vipotnik's future points to a possible role as a replacement, a suggestion Vitor Matos has seemingly denied. But the 30-year-old's arrival undeniably makes a potential exit for the former Bordeaux man more palatable from a footballing perspective.
