How Liverpool could line up next season with Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk as Reds eye £135million double deal
The Reds have so far been frustrated in their pursuit of both RB Leipzig's Keita and Van Dijk of Southampton but are ready to redouble their efforts
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool are set to ramp up their summer transfer activity with a concerted effort to land both of Jurgen Klopp's top two targets.
The Reds have so far been frustrated in their pursuit of both RB Leipzig's Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk of Southampton but are ready to redouble their efforts with the new Premier League season now just around the corner.
German sources close to the negotiations for Keita feel it has become almost a matter of principle for Leipzig to keep the Guinea international, and have been steadfast in their attitude, but a third bid in the region of £75million could prove extremely persuasive.
There is an extra edge to the situation given that the 22-year-old midfielder has a clause in his contract meaning he can leave for £48m next summer, so the size of such an offer from Liverpool – a 56% mark-up on a player they are almost certain to eventually lose – could well convince them to a deal.
The Merseyside club have previously had bids of £57.3m and £66m rejected for the player, who greatly desires a move to Anfield, but has so far just gone about his business with Leipzig and not in any way agitated for a move.
Van Dijk, for his part, has been training alone for a number of days having informed new Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino that he wanted to leave the club in one of their first meetings.
The Argentine took over at St Mary’s at the end of June, and one of his first tasks has been to handle the Van Dijk situation, as he chose to publicly reveal that the 26-year-old had asked to leave.
There is now a belief on many sides that Liverpool is where the centre-half wants to go, although the Merseyside club are understandably treading carefully and not looking to push the situation, having previously been forced to apologise to Southampton over a complaint about illegal approaches and contritely stating that their interest in the player had ended.
Liverpool have already been busy this summer with the early summer signings of Roma's Mohamed Salah and Chelsea's Dominic Solanke joined by Andy Robertson who swapped Hull for Anfield in an £8million deal on Friday.
But how could Liverpool line up with Klopp’s new signings? Scroll through the gallery at the top of the page to see.
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