Lewis Ferguson's agent has revealed he held a four-hour transfer summit with a Cagliari delegation on Saturday.
And the Aberdeen midfielder's representative Bill McMurdo insists the Serie A club were "very impressed" by his client after meeting him in person following a standout display against Hibs.
Record Sport told at the weekend how the Italian side had sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action as he scored two penalties in a 3-1 Premiership victory at Pittodrie.
They were interested in Ferguson during the January transfer window and McMurdo admits a move was likely then had Cagliari sold Nahitan Nandez.
Nandez is expected to leave this summer and McMurdo has plans to meet Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini for further talks in Milan in April, telling Aberdeen to brace for a £3.5million offer.
McMurdo told the Daily Mail : "Cagliari have been tracking Lewis carefully for 18 months.
"Had they sold Nandez in January, I think it would have happened. They were in contact with Aberdeen last week over sending two representatives to the game.
"I organised the trip and Aberdeen looked after them very well. I then had a four-hour meeting with the two men in Edinburgh on Saturday night and they are very keen.
"They were very impressed with Lewis' performance against Hibs.
"They met him for a few minutes to say hello and they were very impressed with him as a person, as well."
Ferguson handed in a written transfer request last summer in the face of a Watford bid Aberdeen slammed as "derisory".
The Dons refused to budge over the former Hamilton youth - who has just over two years left on his contract - but McMurdo has urged the club to "see sense" if Cagliari firm up their interest with an offer this summer.
He said: "I am hoping Aberdeen will see sense in terms of their willingness to listen to any offer this window. At the end of this season, Lewis will have two years left on his contract and, now it's running down, they have to be realistic in what they are asking for the player."
