Liverpool are preparing to make Darwin Nunez their new record signing.
The Benfica striiker is attracting interest from a host of European giants this summer, with Manchester United and Atletico Madrid chief among them.
But Jurgen Klopp’s side have joined the race to land Nunez, who scored against them in both legs of last season’s Champions League quarter final.
That pursuit of the Uruguay international has been accelerated by Sadio Mane’s widely expected departure after six years in the Anfield front line.
Nunez’s versatility to operate on the left side of attack as well as in the central position is understood to have made him a prime candidate to replace Mane.
Mane has one year remaining on his current Reds’ deal and recently emerged as Bayern Munich’s prime target to succeed an outgoing Robert Lewadowski.
Benfica are set to command a fee in the region of £85 million for Nunez, which would see him replace Virgil van Dijk as Liverpool’s costliest signing.
Klopp previously spoke glowingly of the 22-year-old before his side faced the Portuguese heavyweights in the second leg of their last-eight showdown.
“Extremely good looking boy, huh? And a decent player as well,” he said at the time.
“Really good, really good. I knew before, of course, but he played pretty much in front of me with his tough battles with Ibrahima Konate.
“He was physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish. Good, really good.
“I always say in these situations if he is healthy, it’s a big career ahead of him.”
Nunez scored 34 goals from his 41 appearances for Benfica last season.