Leganes’ Jefferson Lerma has been a transfer target for AFC Bournemouth. He signed a new contract in May and saw his release clause increase from €30m to €60m.
On July 20th, we covered a report from Mundo Deportivo, who claimed the Cherries are ‘determined’ to sign the Colombian international. On Wednesday, Cadena COPE reported the English club have ‘upped their offer’, but it was still far from €30m, which is believed to be his asking price.
Super Deporte now claims the negotiation between the two clubs for the 23-year-old has ‘reached its peak’ in the past few hours. Eddie Howe’s side have increased the bid to break the resistance shown by Leganes’ president Quico Catalán.
If the La Liga outfit decide to sanction his transfer, that will be the highest fee collected from a player’s sale in the club’s history. However, Catalán insisted the offer received so far is not sufficient to allow Lerma leave Leganes.
“We have had interest from several clubs, but it is true that there is a club that continues to insist…,” Leganes president said.
“We are not going to take the economic aspect to make a decision unless it is a logically offer that we have to say yes. That case has not occurred, so I understand that right now Lerma is going to stay at Levante.”
