Bournemouth have been told to double their bid for Derby captain Tom Lawrence by the Rams’ administrators who want cash upfront.
Administrators Quantuma are running the Championship club while they wait to sort a takeover.
They are planning further sales before the deadline shuts to bring in enough cash to keep the club afloat.
Phil Jagielka and Graeme Shinnie left earlier this month and youngster Dylan Williams has joined Chelsea.
Bournemouth are now in talks to sign Derby skipper Lawrence, who is out of contract in the summer.
The Cherries are understood to be offering £250,000 upfront but Derby want £500,000 as a lump sum.
Derby’s administrators need all the cash upfront to meet costs at Pride Park.
They say it is no use to them in the short-term if the payments are staggered to spread the cost.
It is increasingly likely Lawrence will swap a relegation battle for a promotion push with Bournemouth but negotiations could drag on until deadline day.
It is a huge blow to boss Wayne Rooney who has given the club a fighting chance of staying up despite being deducted 21 points.
But club officials have stressed the importance of getting Lawrence’s wages off the books as the star earns nearly £30,000-a-week after joining on a five-year deal from Premier League Leicester in 2017.
Welsh international and ex-Manchester United trainee Lawrence,28, has been one of Derby’s key performers this term.
He has eight goals and three assists to spearhead Derby’s battle for survival.
But vultures have been alerted to his availability and that of other stars after the EFL put Derby under a transfer embargo and put a block on new contracts.
Stars attracting interest include veteran defender Curtis Davies,36, who has four goals in 28 games this term and has impressed at the back.
He is being trailed by several Championship rivals who want to bolster their backline this month.
Lawrence has made 171 appearances for the Rams since arriving and has been a key member of the team under Rooney this season with 24 League appearances.
Cherries boss Scott Parker wants Lawrence to boost his side’s promotion hopes.
While Derby’s speedy winger Festy Ebosele,19, is attracting interest from at home and abroad.
The looming spectre of more player sales will frustrated boss Rooney, who is among the favourites for the managerial vacancy at his old club Everton.
But the former England and Manchester United star is said to be calm and focused on bossing Derby despite the mounting headaches.
In the worst case of relegation, Rooney is believed to want to stay to mount a promotion push assuming the club is taken over and avoids liquidation.
But sorting a takeover has proved a nightmare as the club don’t own their ground, they owe HMRC around £30m and are being sued for compensation by both Middlesbrough and Wycombe.
Potential suitors in talks to buy the club include Mike Ashley, the former Newcastle owner, a consortium including former Rams chairman Andy Appleby and separate to them, the American Binnie Brothers.
