Liverpool have confirmed they have received bids for striker Milan Baros from Aston Villa and French club Lyon.
Villa have offered £6.5m while Lyon are understood to have tabled an £8.5m bid for the 24-year-old.
"I am in no hurry to sell the player," said Reds boss Rafael Benitez. "We have had a very good offer from Lyon and also Aston Villa.
"We are now waiting to see what happens. We will analyse the offers. At the moment he is our player."
Baros would prefer to stay in England but that may not be an option unless the Midlands club up their offer.
He claims personal terms with Villa are agreed and recently said: "I've nothing against the French club but consider England and Spain to be the best ones."
Lyon boss Gerard Houllier has been linked with Reds forward Djibril Cisse but said: "I know the English talked about Cisse coming back to France but this is all wrong."
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Villa's hand could be strengthened if they included 30-year-old Peru winger Nolberto Solano in any deal.
But Villa boss David O'Leary has said: "I admire Liverpool's taste but Nobby is an important part of our plans and will not be going anywhere."
That means they will have to increase their offer, or else Baros might have to put aside his distaste for the French league and join Lyon.
"Villa increased their offer and we've come to an agreement on the financial front. But that doesn't mean that it's already a done deal," added Baros.
"Villa are a quality club, and I don't consider this a backward step at all. My situation will be better there."
Also watching the situation closely is Michael Owen, who is keen to leave Real Madrid and join a Premiership club.
It is thought Liverpool might take their former striker back on loan from the Spanish club, but only if Baros is moved out first.
Baros was Liverpool's joint top-scorer with 13 goals last season, but now he is behind Djibril Cisse, Fernando Morientes and Peter Crouch in the pecking order.
Everton, Schalke 04, West Ham, Lyon and Valencia have already shown interest in him.
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