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Jurgen Klopp is hoping his magic touch can help Liverpool pull off a major surprise and land £50m-rated Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City are locked in a four-way battle for Southampton’s Dutch centre half with Antonio Conte’s newly-crowned champions believed to be in pole position.

But it is understood that Liverpool have a genuine chance of doing a deal because van Dijk is attracted by the proposition of playing for Klopp.

Klopp is ready to make it clear that he will make van Dijk his defensive kingpin, that he can become a Kop legend and that he is the only centre half he is interested in this summer.

It will be a hard sell from Liverpool and, with the bonus of Champions League football, they hope they can lure him to Merseyside.

(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images) (Image: Plumb Images/Leicester City/Getty)

All four clubs have sounded out van Dijk’s advisers and made strong enquiries, and Liverpool and Arsenal are ready to pay the best financial package of around £200,000-a-week.

Chelsea and Manchester City are also in the hunt with both clubs eager to land the powerful defender this summer.

Van Dijk was even given a City shirt in Southampton’s “Secret Santa” as a gag by his team mates last Christmas.

(Image: Andrew Powell)

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Southampton insist that van Dijk is not for sale and will not be leaving this summer as they prepare to play hardball.

But Chelsea are desperate to get their man to bolster their squad as they launch the defence of their Premier League title next season.

Chelsea believe they are leading the race but Liverpool will be genuine competition - especially with Klopp determined to bring the glory days back to Anfield with a summer spending spree.