Derby County have rebuffed an offer from Italian side Monza for highly-rated goalkeeper Widell Zetterstrom with the Rams refusing to be bullied into a late summer sale.
The Swedish international has catapulted his name high onto the transfer wishlists of numerous clubs on the continent due to his impressive form for the Championship side over the past couple of seasons.
The 28-year-old has also cemented himself as Sweden's number one, featuring for his country at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico last month.
Monza were the first club to test Derby's resolve on Tuesday for a player whose existing deal is set to come to an end next summer with a £2.1 million offer which was swiftly rejected by the Pride Park club.
The offer, which was also believed to include a 50 percent sell on clause, fell significantly short of the Rams' valuation.
Derby are in a strong position regarding the 28-year-old's future as they hold possession of a one-year extension that can be triggered at any time, tying him in the East Midlands until 2029.
Head coach John Eustace and owner David Clowes consider Zetterstrom to be one of the best goalkeepers outside of the Premier League and aren't expected to consider any bid that falls beneath £7 million.
Leeds United, Lyon, Frankfurt and Wolverhampton Wanderers have all been linked with the stopper since the end of last season, with Serie A side Monza the first to make a concrete offer.
Rumours regarding his future first started to surface during the World Cup, where Zetterstrom was asked about whether he could pursue a fresh opportunity.
"I don’t usually pay too much attention to rumours," he said at the time.
"I’ve been in this bubble for a while now, fully focused on the national team, and now I feel like I need to take a few days to relax."
