Cardiff City are not interested in signing Bordeaux midfielder Younousse Sankhare, WalesOnline has learned.
While the Bluebirds could yet capture a midfielder before the deadline closes at 5pm today, it is understood that Sankhare will not be the man to fill the void.
Cardiff have recruited Will Vaulks this summer but have seen the likes of Aron Gunnarsson and Harry Arter seek pastures new.
Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Wigan appeared to highlight a weakness in the middle of the park and while Vaulks' addition is welcomed, it is thought Neil Warnock would like to add more steel to combat what promises to be a tough Championship campaign.
Sankhare, who came through the ranks at his hometown club Paris Saint-Germain, has been monitored by Cardiff, Swansea City, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest this summer, according to reports in France , but a deal has not materialised.
Last night fresh reports emerged once again linking the Senegal international, who can play centrally or on the left, with a move to the Cardiff City Stadium.
He has just two years left on his deal at Bordeaux and last month hit out at his club for their treatment of him, fuelling talk of his exit.
"I understand what position I am in. Each time there is a new manager, it is the same thing,' he told L'Equipe .
"I am initially cast aside, I do what I need to do to reintegrate myself and things go well. This time, the coach (Paulo Sousa) made it clear to me that he is not counting on me, that I needed to find an exit door.
"Ok, but I am not just going to go to any old club, in any way. They want to sort out my situation as quickly as possible but they need to respect me at the very least. I have actually succeeded in Ligue 1, I’ve been here for 2.5 years and I make an impact once every three times.
"I am not going to go to any random project just because Bordeaux have decided to rid of me."
Though Sankhare will seek sanctuary in the Welsh capital this summer, he can still force through a move on the continent, with the transfer windows in France, Spain, Russia, Scotland, Belgium, Turkey and Germany shutting on September 2, while Italy’s transfer window concludes on August 18.
