Liverpool hope to finalise a deal for Lyon midfielder Nabil Fekir in the next 48 hours.
Press Association Sport understands the club have held positive discussions with the Ligue 1 side and while a fee has not been agreed the France international’s move is edging closer.
Manager Jurgen Klopp and sporting director Michael Edwards are keen to get the deal done before France head to Russia – as is national team boss Didier Deschamps- so the next couple of days are critical as the clock ticks down.
Nabil Fekir looks close to a move to Anfield (Nick Potts/EMPICS)
Liverpool expect to pay an initial £48.4million plus £4.4million in add ons.
The Reds are wasting no time with their summer recruitment plans with Monaco midfielder Fabinho already signed for £43.7million.
With Naby Keita arriving from RB Leipzig after a deal was done last summer, Klopp is already a long way down the road of strengthening a squad which started to feel the effects of injuries to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Emre Can, Adam Lallana, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip on their run to the Champions League final.
Fabinho has already signed up at Anfield (Steven Paston/EMPICS)
Stoke’s Xherdan Shaqiri remains a player of interest due to his low buy-out clause of £12million while Roma goalkeeper Alisson is also on Klopp’s radar.
The Liverpool manager wants the bulk – if not all – of the transfer business done before players report back for pre-season training on July 2.
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