Jurgen Klopp is desperate for Liverpool to secure Champions League football next season, not least so the club can attract their top transfer targets.
Klopp has made signing a centre-back one of his priorities, with Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk top of his list.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds are willing to pay whatever it takes to force the Saints to sell up, and that could mean smashing their record transfer fee.
The Dutchman is rated at around £50million, £15million more than what Liverpool paid Newcastle for Andy Carroll six years ago.
Van Dijk is currently sidelined through injury, but is expected to be fit in time for the start of next season.
Liverpool have had several different centre-backs partnerships this term, rotating Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan, and even on occasion, Lucas Leiva.
Of course, the banishment of Mamadou Sakho to Crystal Palace hasn’t helped matters, but the Frenchman’s relationship with Klopp is at such a low ebb that there’s surely no way back for him at Anfield.
They will be competing with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Everton for Van Dijk.
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