Liverpool are said to have gained the upper hand in their pursuit of Lille midfielder Sofiane Boufal.
The Morocco international was linked with both Everton and Tottenham in recent weeks but reports in France suggest that the Reds are currently in pole position.
Buzzsport claim that Liverpool’s cordial relations with Lille, following their 2014 capture of Divock Origi, has seen them steal a march on their Premier League counterparts in the race to land Boufal.
Lille manager Frederic Antonetti admitted in April that it would be “difficult” to keep the 22-year-old, which saw him continually tipped to secure a summer move to Anfield.
Boufal, who arrived from Angers less than 18 months ago, is expected to be available for a fee in the region of £15 million.