Liverpool are reportedly hopeful of wrapping up the signing of Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister next week.
Having resigned themselves to missing out on Real Madrid-bound Jude Bellingham, the Reds have turned their attention to cheaper alternatives to the £130m-rated Englishman.
World Cup winner Mac Allister quickly emerged as one of the top candidates on Liverpool's shortlist, having starred for both club and country during the 2022-23 campaign.
As well as becoming world champion with Argentina, the 24-year-old ended the 2022-23 season as Brighton's top goalscorer with 12 goals, 10 of which came in the Premier League.
Thanks to Mac Allister's efforts, Roberto De Zerbi's side finished sixth in the Premier League table to seal a spot in the Europa League, but the Seagulls boss admitted at the end of the season that the Argentine may have played his final game for the club.
Chelsea were believed to have been keeping tabs on Mac Allister's situation, but the Blues were never regarded as serious contenders for his signature as Liverpool close in on a big-money deal.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool intend to complete a deal to bring Mac Allister to Anfield next week as they prepare to finalise personal terms with the midfielder this week.
Romano adds that Liverpool and Mac Allister have "almost" reached an agreement on the player's side of the deal, and the Reds are willing to cough up the 24-year-old's exit clause in full.
A fee of £70m has been quoted, but the Merseyside club will supposedly pay less than that to prise Mac Allister away from Brighton, where he has spent the past four-and-a-half years since leaving Argentinos Juniors in 2019.
The Seagulls forked out a mere £6.9m to sign Mac Allister in January 2019, although they loaned him straight back out to Argentinos Juniors before a six-month spell with Boca Juniors in the first half of the 2019-20 campaign.
The midfielder has since recorded 20 goals and nine assists in 112 matches for Brighton in all competitions, while scoring one goal and setting up one more during Argentina's run to the 2022 World Cup triumph.
Mac Allister is set to arrive at Anfield in the wake of several departures, with all of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner leaving on free transfers alongside Roberto Firmino.
Arthur has also returned to Juventus after failing to make a single Premier League appearance during his loan spell, playing just 13 minutes of Champions League football under Jurgen Klopp.
Chelsea's Mason Mount was also believed to be a prime target for Liverpool, but the Englishman has apparently agreed personal terms with Manchester United as the Red Devils ready a formal approach for his services.
