Manchester United have lodged a bid for Uruguayan youngster Guillermo Varela, according to Penarol vice-president Edgard Welker.
The Red Devils are believed to have offered around £1.2m for the 20-year-old right-back, who has recently been on trial at Old Trafford.
The bid has been rejected, although Welker hinted that the Montevideo-based club is willing to negotiate.
"It's an important offer," The Express quotes him as saying. "It's complicated - it's not easy."
Varela is preparing to represent his country at the upcoming Under-20 World Cup in Turkey.