Liverpool are reportedly growing increasingly optimistic about their chances of sealing a £70m deal for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
The Argentine World Cup winner is expected to wave goodbye to the Seagulls this summer following a stellar campaign under the wing of Roberto De Zerbi.
As well as starring for his nation en route to Qatar glory, Mac Allister has produced 12 goals and two assists from 36 games this season, topping Brighton's goalscoring charts in the process.
The 24-year-old has netted 10 times in 31 Premier League outings for De Zerbi's side, and he played the full 90 in their stunning 3-0 win over title hopefuls Arsenal on Sunday.
After the game, however, De Zerbi admitted that Brighton could wave goodbye to some of their in-demand stars this summer, including Moises Caicedo and Mac Allister.
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Since Chelsea apparently dropped their interest in Mac Allister, Liverpool have been at the head of the queue, but Manchester United and Arsenal are said to be keeping a close eye on developments.
However, The Mirror claims that Liverpool are set to swoop in with a £70m bid when the transfer window opens, and the Reds are confident that such a fee should do the trick.
The report adds that talks have already reached a very advanced stage, and Mac Allister is showing a willingness to swap the Amex for Anfield for the 2023-24 season and beyond.
The 24-year-old's proposed switch to Merseyside would bring an end to a four-and-a-half year spell on the South Coast, having joined from Argentinos Jrs for just £7m in January 2019.
Following a brief loan spell at Boca Juniors, Mac Allister has come up with 20 goals and eight assists in 108 matches for Brighton, who rose to sixth in the Premier League table thanks to Sunday's win at the Emirates Stadium.
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Mac Allister's arrival could signal the start of a significant midfield rejig for Liverpool, who will lose all of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Juventus loanee Arthur this summer.
James Milner is out of contract in a few weeks' time too, and despite Jurgen Klopp expressing his desire to keep the 37-year-old, he is expected to go in the opposite direction to Mac Allister and join Brighton on a free transfer.
Having withdrawn from the intense race to sign £130m-rated Borussia Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham, Liverpool apparently intend to bring at least two and possibly up to three new midfielders to the club this summer.
Chelsea's Mason Mount and Sporting Lisbon's Manuel Ugarte have also been mentioned as potential targets, and the latter's agent recently claimed that Ugarte is "sure" to leave his current club this summer.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have made little progress in talks over a new deal with Mount beyond the summer of 2024, although incoming Blues head coach Mauricio Pochettino supposedly wants to reignite negotiations with the playmaker as quickly as possible.
Ben Knapton
