HULL City are set to make a fresh bid to tempt Leicester City to part company with keeper Kasper Schmeichel, the Mail understands.
It comes despite two previous offers from City being rejected by the Midlands club – and claims from the Foxes that the 26-year-old is not for sale at any price.
Tigers manager Steve Bruce made Schmeichel his top goalkeeping target for the summer, and owners Assem and Ehab Allam are determined not to give up in their pursuit.
They feel there is still potential to rescue a deal given Schmeichel's desire to play in the Premier League, and will test Leicester's resolve by returning with a third approach.
Although City's last bid of £1.75m was immediately rejected, the Tigers were encouraged by suggestions coming out of Leicester that a deal may be accommodated should central defender Jack Hobbs be included as part of the offer.
Whilst City are not thought to be keen on using him as a make-weight in any deal, it has indicated a willingness from Foxes manager Nigel Pearson to let their keeper leave, if the deal is right.
Pearson has made strengthening his back four a priority, with Manchester United loanee Michael Keane returning to Old Trafford and Sean St Ledger set to leave for free.
With Schmeichel also entering the final year of his contract at the King Power Stadium, and expressing no desire to sign a new one, Pearson is thought to have encouraged Leicester's owners to do a deal.
Pearson is a big admirer of Hobbs, having brought him to the KC from Leicester during his time in charge and made him his captain.
However, any deal between City and Leicester involving Hobbs could have an impact on a potential move for Birmingham City defender Curtis Davies.
Blues manager Lee Clark also identified Hobbs as a man he would want included as part of any deal between the clubs for Davies, with Birmingham looking for a deal worth close to £4m in total.
That could move the former Aston Villa and West Brom man out of the Tigers' range should Hobbs be brought into the Schmeichel deal.
City have already agreed a £1.8m fee with Besiktas for Scotland keeper Allan McGregor should their latest move for Schmeichel fall flat.
McGregor has indicated a willingness to join the Tigers, but with personal terms still to be finalised, City are not committed to any deal.
City have also made enquiries over Manchester City keeper Costel Pantilimon, although a £4m price tag makes such a deal unlikely, and Millwall's Irish international David Forde.
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