Setanta.com can reveal that Manchester City have rejected a first bid from Sporting for striker Felipe Caicedo.
The 20-year-old striker has also been linked to a host of other clubs, including Gianfranco Zola’s West Ham, and it appears that Mark Hughes has turned his back on a loan deal to Sporting.
But the Lisbon side are determined to lure the South American to Sporting Clube de Portugal despite City’s first refusal.
Caicedo joined the Eastlands outfit in January 2008 and has only scored five Premier League goals so far.
A Sporting source told setanta.com: “This is not over because we want to carry on negotiating with City.
“Contrary to what was said in the papers, we are not obliged to sell any of our players to England, as part of the deal. There is no link between the operations.”
For his part, Ecuador international Caicedo has refused to reject the possibility of playing Champions League football with the Lisbon outfit next season.
“Right now I am waiting for news, but anything can still happen,” he said on Portuguese radio.
“The possibility of playing Champions League football with Sporting is very attractive.”