Brighton and Hove Albion are anticipating another bid from Napoli for midfielder Billy Gilmour.

After rejecting Napoli’s initial offer of £8 million for the Scottish international, Antonio Conte’s team is expected to return with an improved bid of around £12 million. Gilmour, who joined Brighton from Chelsea in 2022 for £7.5 million, struggled for game time in his first season but has since become a crucial part of the first team. Conte, familiar with Gilmour from their time together at Chelsea, is determined to bring the midfielder, who has two years left on his Brighton contract, to Napoli.

“We haven’t received any further communication from Napoli,” said Albion chief executive Paul Barber to Talksport. “We turned down their first offer.

“Billy has been a key player for us, and we’re very keen to keep him. He’s an exceptional footballer and a great presence in the squad. We understand that our players will attract interest from other clubs, and we have to manage that as part of our journey.”

Gilmour and the Brighton team are currently in Japan for pre-season matches against Kashima Antlers and Tokyo Verdy at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

Additionally, Brighton may face the departure of German international midfielder Pascal Gross this summer, as he is considering offers from Bundesliga clubs Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund. The 33-year-old has previously expressed a desire to return to Germany for professional and family reasons.