Liverpool have made initial contact with Bayer Leverkusen over a move for attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.
The Germany playmaker is emerging as a primary target for Arne Slot as the Premier League champions already begin planning for next season.
Liverpool are set to sign Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen and the Anfield club registered their desire to sign 22-year-old Wirtz during those discussions.
Formal negotiations are still to get under way but that is expected to happen in due course for a player that is valued by the Bundesliga club at more than £120m.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool would be willing to pay that sort of fee, which would eclipse the British transfer record fee of £107m Chelsea agreed with Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.
However, Liverpool have received encouragement that Wirtz is keen to join them, amid reports in Germany he prefers a move to Anfield over Bayern Munich.
Earlier this week, BBC Sport revealed Manchester City were no longer in the race to sign Wirtz, leaving Liverpool and Bayern as the frontrunners.
Liverpool boss Slot told the BBC this week that the champions would be “stupid” not to strengthen this summer.
“There are not many that can strengthen us, but the few that are out there, we will try to get them,” Slot said.
“At this moment in time we’re not sure if that’s possible.”
[BBC]