Premier League outfit Everton are preparing a fresh bid for Burnley talisman Maxwel Cornet after having an initial offer rejected, according to this morning's report from the Daily Mail.
The 25-year-old was a regular for the Clarets last season following his move from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, coming in for a fee believed to be in the region of £12.9m and signing a five-year deal on his arrival at Turf Moor.
However, their relegation from the top flight has provided a potential exit route for the Ivorian, with a £17.5m release clause being activated because of their return to the Championship.
Scoring nine goals in 26 league appearances last term, this could be seen as a bargain agreement by many, with no shortage of interest from top-flight sides in his signature.
The Toffees, Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur have all shown an interest in luring him away from Lancashire this summer, with Forest believed to have submitted a rejected enquiry for his services.
Frank Lampard's side have also had an offer rejected, with a loan-to-buy agreement previously wanted by officials at Goodison Park.
They are now preparing a fresh bid for his services, with a permanent deal now potentially more likely with the Clarets unlikely to be willing to wait to generate a considerable fee for his services.
The Verdict:
A loan-to-buy deal makes very little sense for Vincent Kompany's side - because they will either want to generate a considerable fee for him or keep him at Turf Moor beyond the summer.
An initial loan agreement doesn't allow either to happen, so the Merseyside club will need to come back with a cash offer if they are serious about luring the Ivorian away from the Lancashire side.
He could certainly be worth the £17.5m it would take to take him to Goodison Park, not just because of his goalscoring prowess but also because he can ply his trade in multiple positions, including at left-back, on the wing and up front.
This can only be a good thing for Lampard and his side when injuries and suspensions start to take their toll throughout the season - and this could be particularly important with the World Cup coming up later this calendar year.
With the money they have generated from Richarlison's sale, they may be able to get an agreement over the line so this is certainly a saga to keep an eye on in the coming days and weeks.