Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce is chasing Stoke City defender Abdoulaye Faye.
But Stoke say they will not consider bids for the stopper they bought from Newcastle for £2.25million in August.
Allardyce, now Blackburn boss, signed the Senegal defender for Bolton from French club Istres in 2005.
He took Faye with him to Newcastle when he switched to St James' Park in 2007 and is keen to bring him in to bolster Rovers' defence.