West Ham striker Carlton Cole is believed to have turned down the chance to join Stoke City for the fourth time in his career.
The two clubs had agreed a fee for the England international of around £4.5m rising to £6m based on appearances and goals, but Cole has now decided against making the switch to the Britannia Stadium.
Both Stoke and the Hammers will be disappointed with the outcome of the negotiations for differing reasons, with Tony Pulis desperate to add extra firepower to his attack while the selling club were keen to reduce their wage bill in the wake of relegation.
It's the latest setback for Pulis in the transfer market following hot-on-the-heels of Birmingham's decision to reject a bid for fellow striker Cameron Jerome.
The Potters boss is unlikely to go back to Cole with an improved offer in light of chairman Peter Coates' revelation that he had missed out on the 27-year-old on three previous occasions for one reason or another.