Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister is likely to be on the verge of joining Liverpool after his manager Roberto De Zerbi dropped a massive hint that he would be on his way out following the final Premier League game of the season on Sunday.
World Cup winner Mac Allister was tearful following the full-time whistle of Brighton's last day 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, with De Zerbi conceding that it was his midfielder's "last game" for the club.
While other clubs have expressed interest in Mac Allister, Jurgen Klopp's team are widely seen as the likely destination, with plenty of Liverpool transfers expected this summer.
"I think it can be the last game for Alexis and Moises Caicedo," De Zerbi said in his post-match comments.
“I am really sorry because they are two great people and two great players but the policy of Brighton is like this.
“It is right that they can leave, they can play at a higher level.”
But even when the Argentine is confirmed as joining the Liverpool squad, more midfielders will still be on the target list.
Among them is Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella, who has made over 170 appearances in his four years at the San Siro, a period that has seen him win a Serie A title, two Coppa Italias and now, the possibility of a Champions League too.
However, securing the Italian's services would come at a cost: around €100 million, according to Calciomercatoweb.
This would certainly be on the high side for Liverpool, who are keen to make a number of acquisitions this summer – but don't have Champions League income to rely on next season.
Having been among the frontrunners for signing Jude Bellingham, the potential cost was among the reasons Liverpool's interest has cooled. The pricetag on Barella, then, may put them off.
Should they be looking for a cheaper option, Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic only has a year left on his contract, and should be available for around €30m – although Juventus is seen as the likeliest destination for him.
