Premier League giants Liverpool are ready to splurge another £135m to land Virgil van Dijk and Thomas Lemar – after completing a club-record deal for Leipzig’s Naby Keita.
Liverpool have already seen two bids rejected by AS Monaco for winger Thomas Lemar, according to Sky Sports.
The Reds had launched a latest bid of around £64.8m, having previously made an offer worth £55.5m for roping in the French winger.
Reports in France have claimed that the Ligue 1 club is not willing to sell their player and want him to stay at the club beyond this summer’s transfer window.
But now Liverpool are plotting an improved £70m third bid for Lemar, according to FootTheBall sources.
Last week, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp accentuated that he wants to bolster his squad after Liverpool sealed a place in the Champions League group stage.
Klopp has already roped in Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Dominic Solanke this summer but the former Dortmund boss wants to add more reinforcements as he is keen to challenge for the Premier League title and also to challenge the European giants in the Champions League.
The Reds have also sealed a club record £48m deal for Leipzig star Naby Keita, who will join the Reds next summer.
According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool have launched a £200m spending spree, starting with the £55m signing of Keita for next summer.
Sources confirm that the Liverpool will pay the £48m release clause that will see the Guinea international join the Reds from Leipzig next summer, but it is believed that the total fee could go up to £55m including add-ons.
Sky Sports News understands the club will pay the £48m release clause that will allow the Guinea international to move to Anfield, as well as an undisclosed premium.
Speaking after their 6-3 aggregate win over Hoffenheim last week, Jurgen Klopp said: “It’s [Champions League qualification] a big influence on the transfer market, especially if we do it more often.”
“I said I think before the game, if you talk to a player, they really often [mention it]… especially players we talk to.”
Lemar displayed incredible form last season as he guided Monaco to Ligue 1 triumph for the first time in 17 years.
He was in France’s starting XI for the friendly win over England in June.
The talented French winger has 12 goals to his name in 39 appearances last season and has three years left on his current contract with Monaco.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Liverpool are ready to offer striker Divock Origi as a part of the deal to land Lemar at Anfield before the transfer window shuts shop on Thursday.
Arsenal had shown huge interest in Lemar throughout this summer, but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger admitted defeat in his chase for the France star after seeing a £30m offer being rejected by Monaco last month – while La Liga giants Barcelona were also monitoring the availability of the player.
Monaco have faced a mass exodus this summer – already selling Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy to Manchester City and Tiemoue Bakayoko to Chelsea – with wonder-kid Kylian Mbappe closing in on a seaon-long loan move to PSG with an option to buy him for £166m next summer.
They said last month there would be ‘no more departures’ amid continued interest in Lemar.
Monaco are intrested in Reds striker Divock Origi and it is beleived that the Ligue 1 champions could soften their stance on Lemar.
Arsenal have held talks with Southampton defender Virgil Van Dijk about a transfer but the Dutch player wants to make a switch to Liverpool, according to reports.
Premier League giants Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, have all been linked with a swoop for the Dutch defender.
The Dutch centre-back has handed in a transfer request at Southampton amid huge interest from Chelsea and Liverpool and now Arsenal – and is yet to play for Southampton this season.
The Dutch defender, who signed a six-year deal last season, has also slammed Southampton’s repeated attempts to keep him at the club amid huge interest from top Premier League clubs.
And according to Daily Mail, Arsenal have now held talks with the Dutch defender over a move to the Emirates before the transfer window shuts this summer.
Sources close to the club have revealed that Shkodran Mustafi’s future at the North London club is growing increasingly uncertain and the Gunners now want to bolster the back-line by roping in Van Dijk.
But sources close to the player have revealed that Van Dijk wants to Move to Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are ready to resume their pursuit of long-time target Virgil van Dijk, according to reports.
Following Wesley Hoedt’s arrival at Southampton, Liverpool want to step up their chase for the £60million rated Dutch defender.
Southampton bosses have accentuated that Van Dijk will not be allowed to leave this summer, but Liverpool are now ready to pounce back if the Saints hierarchy change their stance.
Earlier, the Reds had to drop their interest in the Dutch defender after Southampton threatened them of FIFA action claiming they had illegally approached the 26-year-old player.
However, according to reports, Southampton might soften their stance and could allow Van Dijk to leave this summer after the arrival of Wesley Hoedt from Lazio this week.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have plotted a whooping £65million to land Van Dijk this summer and sources reveal that former Dortmund manager is keen to bring the Dutchman at Anfield as he looks to bolster his back-four.