FC Nantes have increased their financial offer to appoint Dunkerque boss Luís Castro, but the Ligue 2 side are standing firm on their valuation, according to L’Équipe.

The Canaries submitted an initial bid of €200,000 on Tuesday to prise Castro – under contract at Dunkerque until 2027 – away from the northern club. That offer has now been slightly raised to around €250,000, with additional bonuses based on performance objectives including survival in Ligue 1 and even qualification for the Champions League.

However, that figure falls well short of Dunkerque’s expectations. During contract extension talks in January, the club reportedly valued the Portuguese coach at around €2m, and are not prepared to accept a lower figure at this stage.

Castro, 45, is nevertheless understood to have already reached a contractual agreement with Nantes, who are looking to rebuild after a chaotic season in Ligue 1. The club parted ways with Antoine Kombouaré on May 20 and have identified the former Benfica youth coach as their top target.