Liverpool are now set to win the race for Virgil van Dijk’s signature.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton have all been pursuing the highly-rated Southampton defender’s signature but the Reds are now firmly in pole position.
City attempted to sway Van Dijk with plans to offer a lucrative £100 million package that would have been worth £180,000 per week in wages to the player.
But Jurgen Klopp has gained an upper hand in proceedings after the Holland international, 25, informed both Liverpool and Southampton of his intimation to move to Anfield.
Negotiations with the Saints are likely to see Liverpool smash their transfer record with the South Coast club holding out for a valuation upwards of £50 million.
That figure would see Van Dijk become the most expensive defender in world football and take Liverpool’s combined transfer fees to Southampton to £130m.
Five players have moved to Merseyside from St Mary’s since 2014, including current first-team mainstays Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne.
Van Dijk has not played since late January, when an ankle injury against Leicester City ruled him out for the remainder of the 2016/17 campaign.
Liverpool also remain hopeful of completing Mohamed Salah’s signing from Roma later this week despite the Serie A runners-up eyeing a £35m deal.