Diego Carlos' representatives have encamped themselves in Seville ahead of the January transfer window's grand finale.
The centre-back has watched on as Sevilla haggle with Newcastle United over a price with the Magpies determined not to be taken advantage of just months after their Middle East takeover conjured up the perception of unlimited spending power in the football world.
AC Milan and AS Roma have also been credited with interest in his services and in a window of twists and turns so far nothing can be discounted.
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Carlos, who will be 29 in March, knows he may never get another pay day like the one on offer at Newcastle.
This has left Carlos' agency Bertolucci Sports to point out to Sevilla that if they aren't prepared to sell him in this window he should be rewarded with a new bumper deal.
Although nothing on the table from the La Liga club put to Carlos has been accepted yet.
It leaves the Carlos camp with four days to manoeuvre in what has been a fraught window for all parties.
The well known clause of around £80million in the centre-back's contract, which would leave Sevilla with no choice to do business with bidding clubs, has been mooted in the Spanish media throughout the window.
Deep down, Sevilla know they are unlikely to get such an astronomical amount but after the last bid from Newcastle came in at around £32million those close to the La Liga club believe that a package between £40-50million could be the tipping point.
Newcastle sources say that they won't be taken advantage of just because new owners have arrived and declared they will "show ambition."
For Sevilla, the clock is ticking down and the more practical concern would be selling Carlos now and not having the time to bring a replacement or spend what would be classed as windfall for a player that, after all, cost them £13.5million from Nantes in 2019.
Brighton & Hove Albion's Dan Burn, a 6ft 7in centre-back, is deemed as an option.
Newcastle fan Burn could be prepared to listen if Brighton accepted a bid for him but despite a clean sheet at Leeds and an improved defensive display, the wish list hasn't changed for United.
They seek a centre-back going into the last throes of a window in which they have been linked with an endless list of names.
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