Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has revealed that he made an approach for Jefferson Lerma earlier this summer.
The Bluebirds are currently preparing to begin their first campaign back in the Premier League, and Warnock has made a total of six additions to his first-team squad.
However, the manager has said that one of his top targets for the summer had been Lerma - who has now joined Bournemouth - but the club immediately put off by Levante's asking price.
Warnock told talkSPORT: "Our number one target in midfield was the lad Bournemouth signed, Lerma. We thought it'd be about five or six million, and I think they paid about £27m.
"We had a rude awakening early doors. We were quite a long way away from the top targets so we had to be realistic really."
Lerma could start for Bournemouth against Cardiff on Saturday afternoon.
