Dubai-based outfit Al Ahli have sent officials to Lisbon to negotiate a deal with Benfica to sign midfielder Nicolas Gaitan.
The Argentina international has been consistently linked with leaving Benfica this summer, with Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Valencia all linked with making a move to sign him.
None of the sides have met his €35m release clause though – and Benfica will not allow Gaitan to leave for a lower figure.
According to Portuguese sports daily O Jogo, Al Ahli officials have arrived in Lisbon to present Benfica with an offer of €35m for Gaitan.
However, despite offering the Argentine a yearly salary of €3.5m net, along with a number of other performance related bonuses, Gaitan is not keen on the move.
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At the age of 27, the Argentine believes it is too soon in his career to move to a less competitive league and also give up Champions League football by switching to a club outside Europe.
Al Ahli are hoping to convince Gaitan to reconsider their offer and officials from the club are speaking to the player in Portugal.
It remains to be seen whether the midfielder will have a change of heart.
