Gabon defender Bruno Ecuele Manga appears more likely than ever to leave Cardiff City this summer after coach Neil Warnock revealed that he already has a replacement lined up for the centre-back.
The 28-year-old's current contract in South Wales ends this summer, and while he has been offered a new deal, the club have offered him a lower wage.
While Warnock is keen to keep hold of the defender, he appears resigned to losing him at the end of the campaign, and is confident that he has a player in mind to replace the international. The veteran coach has also hinted that he was unhappy with the defender's commitment to the cause in the Welsh capital.
"We're down the line on somebody else coming in for that position so we're not going to let anything worry us," Warnock told reporters [as per BBC Sport]. "I was supposed to meet his agent and they cancelled the meetings, but now it will be next week.
"You can't agree anything if you don't talk to anybody," he complained. "Bruno tells me one thing, but I know what agents will be like and I don't expect that to be successful.
"If people don't want to play for Cardiff City and if they don't want to put a blue shirt on, then they're not for us."
Libreville-born Manga signed for Cardiff in September 2014 in a €5 million deal, despite reported interest from the Premier League.
He struggled to help the Bluebirds find the consistency required to return to the top flight, although established himself as one of the finest defenders in the second tier with his powerful tackling and rugged shackling of opposition frontmen.
He represented a series of French clubs including Rodez and Angers before signing for FC Lorient in 2010.
Warnock has overseen a significant turnaround since being appointed in October with the team in 23rd.
With three games of the season to go, they are up in 13th on 58 points, and could move as high as eighth before the end of the campaign.