Liverpool will have to break their own transfer record to land Naby Keita.
The Guinean midfielder enjoyed a stunning debut season with RB Leipzig as they battled Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title at the first attempt.
That progress has not gone unnoticed by Jurgen Klopp, who has already made Keita one of the Reds’ top priority signings in the summer transfer window.
Fresh from securing Champions League qualification on the final day of the season, the Liverpool manager is keen to bolster his squad in the coming weeks.
But Leipzig are not preparing to allow 22-year-old to leave cheaply, with only offers in excess of £50 million likely to even be considered by the club.
Chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff issued a public hands-off warning on Keita and others with the Bundesliga runners-up that have been touted with moves away.
He said “We have decided that we will not sell any player from our starting line-up.
“Ralf Rangnick [Leipzig’s sporting director] told this to our team at the end of the season.
“We will keep our team together and keep on developing.”
Liverpool are set to arm Klopp with a £100m budget to ensure that the club is best served to challenge on multiple fronts over the next 12 months.
Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk is likely to swallow up half of that figure should Anfield officials win the race for his signature ahead of Manchester City.
Andy Carroll’s 2011 arrival from Newcastle United remains Liverpool’s record capture at £35m.