Derby County are rivalling Aston Villa for Stoke City's Republic of Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan.
Villa have had a £500,000 bid for 33-year-old Whelan rejected, with the Premier League club wanting double that amount.
Villa owner Tony Xia has not returned with a second offer after becoming concerned about the transfer amounts spent by the club over the past two seasons.
Derby County could now step in with manager Gary Rowett an admirer of Whelan's defensive qualities.
Whelan has spent nine years at Stoke after joining in January 2008 from Sheffield Wednesday and has been there as the Potters were promoted to the Premier League and became an established side.