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Manchester City remain interested in signing Aymeric Laporte but Athletic Club are trying to ward off suitors by offering the defender an improved contract, Goal understands.
Laporte had been identified as a key target by incoming City boss Pep Guardiola, but broke his ankle on international duty with France Under-21s last week and is set to be out for three to four months.
Although City have had to suspend their attempts to push through a deal until the summer, the club will not move on to alternative targets just yet.
With the 21-year-old scheduled to return at some point in July, City will be able to assess his recuperation early in the transfer window before deciding whether to trigger the centre-back's €50 million buy-out clause.
Athletic, however, are planning to offer Laporte another new contract, less than 12 months after his last extension and what would be his sixth since 2012.
The Basques are ready to increase the promising defender's annual salary from €2.5m to €3.5m or even €4m, either of which would make him the best-paid player in their squad.
It is also thought that they are keen to propose an increase in his mandatory release clause, in light of the recent interest from City and Barcelona.
The existing €50m clause was inserted into the deal he signed last June, shortly after he joined up with super-agent Jorge Mendes and with Manchester United among a host of clubs showing an interest in his services.
But Athletic know that they could not come close to matching the money on offer at the Etihad Stadium, while any interested parties would be less than amused at having to fork out for an even higher clause.
The Premera Division club have a tradition of fighting to keep their best talent and are not expected to negotiate his valuation.
Laporte, who has been at San Mames since he was 15 and whose buy-out clause has risen from €18m to €50m in little over three years, would be able to decide whether or not to increase his valuation once again.
Doing so would surely scupper his chances of a big move this summer, meaning improved financial terms are likely to be the limit of Athletic's ambitions.
Should Laporte leave during the next transfer window, Athletic have lined up Real Sociedad centre-back Inigo Martinez as a replacement, while Arsenal's Nacho Monreal is a long-term target.
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