Belgian club Royale Union St-Gilloise are keen to sign Doding Priso but their initial offer has been turned down by Valletta.
Sources have told The Times that St-Gilloise, who ply their trade in the Belgian second division, made contact with Valletta officials during the team's training camp in the Netherlands last week but their bid, thought to be in the region of €200,000, failed to meet the club's valuation of the player.
Priso has been in the transfer spotlight lately after it emerged that a Russian club were also keeping a close eye on the Cameroonian winger-cum-forward. Representatives of the Russian club were expected to make an official approach for Priso last week but this failed to materialise.
Priso, who joined Valletta from Msida St Joseph last summer, has long been touted as a potential target for overseas clubs and his dynamic performances for the Citizens in this season's Europa League appear to have caught the attention of a number of suitors.
After completing the signing of Malta striker Terrence Scerri from Hibs last week, Victor Sciriha, the Valletta president, had been expected to step up his efforts to reach a deal with Marsaxlokk for Kevin Sammut but negotiations appear to have stalled.
Although Valletta are still interested in Sammut, they are reluctant to engage another high-profile player when they already have an abundance of midfielders in their squad.
Meanwhile, Hibs, the reigning Malta champions, are giving a trial to two strikers, Italian Michele Di Piedi and Englishman Iyseden Christie.
Di Piedi, 30, had a spell with Sheffield Wednesday in the early years of his career while the 32-year-old Christie has played for a host of English clubs, including Coventry City, Bournemouth, Mansfield Town and Leyton Orient.
Hibs are still engaged in efforts to sign Malta forward Etienne Barbara who is also coveted by Floriana.
New dates
The Paolites have had to revise the dates of their annual pre-season competition as the second round of matches, originally scheduled for today week, was going to clash with Malta's friendly against Georgia at the National Stadium.
The Carlsberg Tournament's start has been brought forward to Friday and the second-day matches have been rescheduled for next Tuesday. The quadrangular competition, featuring Hibs, Birkirkara, Marsaxlokk and Qormi, will come to a close on Friday, August 14.
Sliema Wanderers have a Brazilian goalkeeper on trial and striker Jerry Ani, the Nigerian who had spells with Naxxar Lions and Valletta in the past, was also expected to start training with the Blues on a trial basis yesterday.
Stephen Azzopardi, the Sliema coach, plans to give the trialists a run-out in a friendly match against Floriana tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Birkirkara are still working to bring more goalkeepers for a trial. At present, Paul Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, is gauging the qualities of Asong Joseph Leke, a young goalkeeper from Cameroon who came through the youth ranks of Spanish club Espanyol.
The Stripes are also looking to strengthen their defence and Msida's Tyrone Farrugia remains their no.1 target. Due to the complicated nature of their discussions with Msida over Farrugia, Birkirkara are also looking at other options.
It is believed that Melita defender George Gribbon is also being pursued by Birkirkara.