Arsenal have sent a second bid worth £70m including add-ons for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo.
However, the Seagulls are still insisting the player is not for sale.
The Gunners had their initial £60m offer for Caicedo rejected by Brighton, which prompted the Colombia international to plead with Brighton to let him leave and join the Premier League leaders in a statement on social media.
Caicedo was told to stay away from training with the Seagulls until after Tuesday’s transfer deadline following his Instagram post.
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi wants Caicedo to stay at Brighton until the end of the season but says the club are “ready to go forward without him”.
“When you are 21 and you receive the request of a big team that is playing in European competition, I can understand,” said De Zerbi after Sunday’s last-gasp FA Cup fourth-round win over Liverpool.
Asked if he was surprised by Caicedo’s social media post, De Zerbi added: Yes, yes I was. I’m not sure if it was him if you know what I mean…”