Liverpool have been urged not to miss out on the signing of in-demand striker Erling Haaland.
The prolific Borussia Dortmund star has been linked with a big-money move to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool are among a host of clubs credited with an interest in the 20-year-old, along with Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
The likes of Real Madrid and Juventus are also said to be keen on the Norway international.
Former Liverpool and Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has sent a transfer message to the Reds, telling them to make sure they land Haaland ahead of their rivals - and City in particular.
"Haaland is a perfect asset for any top team at the moment. He’s big, strong and a proper goalscorer," Johnson told bettingexpert.com.
"He’s very young so whoever buys him next could have the opportunity to sell him for an awful lot of money in five years time so, business-wise, it could be good to look at someone like that.
"Premier League clubs will want him, because it will be a case of not wanting to miss out.
"If City go for him, Liverpool will think: ‘We can’t let City have him’. And it could become a race to the line. I think there will be numerous clubs that will want him if they can afford him. "
In defence of their Premier League title, Liverpool are currently fourth in the table and 10 points behind leaders City, who have a game in hand.
"Because Liverpool were so good last season it was going to be hard to maintain that level of consistency," Johnson added.
"Liverpool have got the same players playing as they have in the last three years and their level was always going to dip at some point without bringing in some big names in.
"But then it is hard for them to bring big names in because they were doing so well.
"Liverpool don’t buy people for the sake of it, they don’t spend over the top on just any player.
"They only do it when they feel like they’re getting it right and they’ve proven before that it works - they spent big money on Alisson and Van Dijk and they’re the two best players in those positions in the world.
"I think they will spend if the right player comes up. Someone like Haaland, I think they will spend big money on him.
"You can’t sustain a title challenge with a makeshift defence every week, it doesn’t matter who you are."
