Juventus are to make an official approach to Galatasaray for Wesley Sneijder, although intense negotiations are likely to be required for a deal to be struck.
The two clubs are over 10 million euros apart in their valuations of Sneijder, 30, who has a release clause in his contract valued at 20 million euros, while Juve are reluctant to go any higher than seven million euros.
And the chances of the Serie A club succeeding in landing their primary target this winter were reduced further by Gala vice-president Abdurrahim Albayrak on Wednesday.
"We do not want to sell Sneijder," he told Turkish television channel NTVSpor. "There's a clause in his contract which fixes the price at 20 million euros and we don't want to go without that money.
"Sneijder's going to be with us also in the second half of the season. We're not paying any attention to the stories in Italy. All of our players are happy to be in Turkey."
Sneijder's agent Guido Albers is not so convinced, however, telling De Telegraaf that the former Inter Milan player would jump at the chance to return to Serie A.
"That's where he enjoyed the biggest successes of his career," Albers said. "If a transfer really were to go through, Sneijder would be delighted to go back to Italy. But we have to wait for the clubs to reach an agreement."
That is now in the hands of the two clubs, who need to thrash out a deal for the player.
A transfer in the region of 10 million euros plus bonuses is plausible, in spite of Albayrak's words.
Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri is hoping for a positive conclusion to those negotiations.
"Let's see if he arrives first," he said prior to his side's 1-1 draw with Inter on Tuesday. "He's still a Galatasaray player. Juve want to improve and to do that, you need to buy players who are at least as good as what you've already got.
"Sneijder could improve us. He's a player with great technical ability and he's demonstrated that throughout his career."
Sneijder was part of the Inter side led by Jose Mourinho to a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League Treble in 2010. He left the club in January 2013, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal with Gala.