Brazilian side Flamengo have turned down a bid for striker Rodrigo Muniz from Championship outfit Fulham, according to O Dia.

As per the report, the Cottagers had launched a loan-to-buy offer for the 20-year-old, a similar deal to the Harry Wilson agreement with the club initially taking the winger on loan before having an obligation to purchase the Welshman.

However, this proposal was rejected by the Brazilian side who would prefer cash up front for one of their prized assets, with Fulham offering an initial €1m to take the forward on loan and an option to purchase Muniz permanently for €9m at the end of the season.

The 20-year-old's contract at the Rio-based side doesn't expire until 2024, allowing them to hold out for a higher bid for the striker, although the makeup of the deal offered is proving to be the main sticking point for Fulham.

In a bid to break the deadlock, the Championship side offered to include a larger chunk of the total €10m fee in the loan deal to make the initial deal financially worthwhile for the Brazilian side.

However, this was also rejected and Fulham are facing the prospect of having to bring him to Craven Cottage permanently without this initial loan deal, although it's currently unclear whether this has forced the English side out of the race for Muniz.

His representatives are said to be keen on this potential move though.

The Verdict:

This was a sensible move to Fulham to try and negotiate a loan deal before having the option to purchase him, because he would then be a player they could easily sever their ties with at the end of the season if the move doesn't work out.

Considering they are also set to spend around £12m on Harry Wilson in the next year and with the EFL's profit and sustainability rules to abide by, they may now be ruled out of this race depending on their current financial situation.

Their campaign in the Premier League last season would have helped with their finances - but as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to take its toll and the EFL's rules in remaining in place - they just need to be very careful about the remaining business they do during this window.

Although they will be one of the favourites to go straight back up, a Premier League return isn't guaranteed and there will be plenty of cheaper alternatives to pursue in the transfer market if this move doesn't work out.