Liverpool have been told by BBC pundit Garth Crooks that they should spend £45m on Brighton & Hove Albion defender Lewis Dunk.

The Merseyside outfit have already improved their defensive options with the capture of Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk, who reportedly cost £75m.

Crooks believes that Liverpool would be strengthened even further if they signed Dunk, who has played in all of Brighton's top-flight games since their promotion to the Premier League this season.

In his Team of the Week column for BBC Sport, Crooks wrote: "Whether [Dunk] can mentally cope in that environment would be my only concern, but in terms of his defensive qualities I don't think I've seen a better centre-back this season. I've seen more polished performances but nothing quite so efficient.

"It struck me that Liverpool could do themselves a great service by making an audacious move for Dunk. What would he cost - £35m in today's grossly over-inflated market? Offer £45m and I've no doubt Brighton boss Chris Hughton would drive him to Anfield himself.

"Could Brighton afford to turn that down? Alongside, Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool would suddenly have two towering defenders who know how to defend."

Dunk has been part of the Seagulls for his entire career so far.