Bengaluru, January 17: Brighton and Hove Albion have failed with an ambitious £10million bid for Nantes striker Emiliano Sala.
The Argentine ace has scored nine goals in 20 games this season for his French club this season, managed by ex-Chelsea and Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri.
The Seagulls chief Chris Hughton hoped to land the 27-year-old to strengthen his newly-promoted side's hopes of Premier League survival.
And reports in France claim Brighton officials contacted Sala at the end of last week, while he was discussing a contract extension with Nantes and the club is said to have told the striker they would offer Nantes over £9m for him.
However, Sala turned down the chance of a move to the south coast to pledge himself to the Ligue 1 outfit.
The Argentine forward is expected to pen a new deal until 2022.
Sala has been impressive for Nantes this season firing them to the fifth spot in the table.
Ranieri has once again stunned the world with his excellent management of Nantes who were hardly fancied at the start of the campaign.
Sala has scored seven goals in Ligue 1 this season and could have been the answer to Brighton's goalscoring woes but they have to look elsewhere now.
Nantes paid Bordeaux £1m for the Argentine in 2015. Sala previously had free-scoring spells on loan to lower-league sides Orleans, Niort and Caen.
Championship giants Wolves also had a £3m offer for him turned down in January 2016.
The relegation battle is likely to be very tight this season and all the struggling teams are therefore looking to bolster their sides.
Only 10 points separate Ninth-placed Everton with bottom of the table Swansea City while Brighton are 16th at the moment just three points adrift of the danger zone.