LIVERPOOL are reportedly ready to break the bank for Southampton star Virgil van Dijk with a club-record £50million bid this summer.
The Dutch ace has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s top centre-backs following his £13m move from Celtic in 2015.
And the Liverpool Echo claims Jurgen Klopp will pull out all the stops to bring Van Dijk to Anfield, with the German boss more than happy to meet Southampton’s £50m price-tag.
That figure would shatter the £35m Liverpool spent to sign Andy Carroll from Newcastle in 2011.
But Klopp knows he must act fast to see off the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Everton.
Van Dijk would surely provide the defensive steel Liverpool fans have been craving all season, with Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip yet to forge a reliable partnership.
The Reds are the league’s highest scorers but have conceded a whopping 42 goals – more than any other team in the top seven.
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And after slipping 12 points behind leaders Chelsea in the title race, Klopp knows he must dig deep in order to challenge effectively in the next campaign.
But a large part of Van Dijk’s £50m fee will be offset by the departure of Mamadou Sakho, who could fetch as much as £30m following his excellent performances for Crystal Palace.