Southampton have rejected a bid for Mario Lemina from Atalanta, according to a report from Tuttomercatoweb.
The Italian outlet claims the Serie A side had offered a loan deal with an option to buy the midfielder, which was turned down by The Saints.
The report suggests they will only allow the Gabon international to leave on a permanent deal and are apparently demanding €18million (£16.13million) which is roughly the same figure Southampton spent signing him from Juventus.
Tuttomercatoweb also say Atalanta will not be put off by the snub and will continue with their pursuit of the midfielder, with a new bid expected in the next few days.
Southampton have a surplus of central midfielders, James Ward Prowse, Oriol Romeu, Stuart Armstrong and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg making it five players contesting for three positions on the field.
Lemina has played 46 league games for Saints in his two seasons at St Mary’s. Transfermarkt value him at £13.5million.
Spotrac claim Lemina is paid £65,000-a-week, with three years remaining on his contract.
