Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the signing of Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig.
Reports in The Athletic say that the Reds are in advanced talks with RB Leipzig to sign the 21-year-old.
It has been claimed that the fee involved would be in the region of £40m, which is his release clause with the Bundesliga outfit.
Jurgen Klopp could have had the opportunity to watch Konate in action first hand when the two teams met in the Champions League last-16, but he was an unused substitute for both games.
Liverpool will be hoping that Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip return to full fitness for next season, and Konate has already earned comparisons to one current Reds defender.
Konate has been compared to Van Dijk in the past, and one former team mate of Klopp believes that he has the potential and the talent to be a world class centre-back.
"I think the release clause is €40m," said Guido Schafer, a former teammate of Jurgen Klopp's at Mainz and a journalist currently covering RB Leipzig, on an Under The Radar podcast from Blood Red released earlier this month.
"It is a really good price for the player - he is only 21 years old and he is as good as Dayot Upamecano when he is fit. They are absolutely at the same level.
"He is tall, fast, good technique and he is a little bit of Virgil van Dijk.
"He is the chief, in a positive way, of the French connection in the Leipzig squad, on and off the field. He learned German as fast as no other guy.
"He has very high-class potential. He is a great athlete, he has good speed and there are no silly tackles - he is an intelligent player.
You can listen to the full Under The Radar podcast from Blood Red by clicking HERE
"And in the 100 metres, Konate is the fastest player in RB Leipzig.
"It is a potentially world-class package. He is really good in passing and that is from Julian Nagelsmann - he needs players who can pass.
"Konate is the right player for [teams who play out from the back] and for Liverpool."
