Aberdeen have had a £500,000 move for Hibs star Martin Boyle turned down.
The Easter Road club have rejected the proposal in the last 24 hours because they see the Australian international as a key player after the Dons made the ambitious offer to try and bring the winger back to his home city.
Boyle has a contract until the summer of 2023 but Hibs are keen to extend that agreement.
Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass is a big fan of the 28-year-old and believes his pace and energy would give his strike force something different to Christian Ramirez and Jay Emmanuel Thomas.
He admitted after the weekend cup defeat to Raith Rovers that he wanted to add to his squad but it was unlikely before Thursday’s Europa Conference League clash with Qarabag in Azerbaijan.
If Aberdeen were to get through into the group stages it could give them a possible £3million bonanza, with a combination of prize money and gate receipts.
It could see the Dons up the ante again and chairman Dave Cormack has not been shy in his backing of new boss Glass since he arrived at the end of last season.
The Dons, who have given Matty Kennedy permission to talk to St Mirren over a loan deal, have also shown their muscle by knocking back a £500,000 offer for Ryan Hedges from an English club earlier in the window.
Boyle has become a firm favourite at Easter Road since he moved there from Dundee in 2015.
Former Aberdeen manager Craig Brown ran the rule over Boyle when he was at Montrose but he didn’t make an offer and he moved to Dens Park.
