Fulham have turned down a £22.5m bid from Villarreal for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, according to a report from Sky Sports.

The Spanish side were eager to turn Anguissa’s successful loan spell at Estadio de la Cerámica into a permanent deal, but they have not been able to match Fulham’s valuation – believed to be around £25m – for their Cameroon international midfielder. Fulham director of football Tony Khan told the Times earlier this month that he was hoping for Anguissa, who joined the Whites for £23m from Marseille in 2018, to return to pre-season training at Motspur Park and possibly feature as Scott Parker’s side returned to the Premier League.

Anguissa, who endured a tough season as Fulham were relegated from the top flight, enjoyed an excellent campaign in Spain, making 36 appearances in La Liga and scoring two goals, as Villarreal qualified for the Europa League by finishing fifth in the table. It remains to be seen whether Villarreal will return with an improved offer for Anguissa or switch their attention to other possible targets.