• Ian Ayre flies to Shakhtar training camp in Florida to try to seal deal • Liverpool have offered £24.6m but Ukrainian side value him at £38m

Shakhtar Donetsk have opened talks with Liverpool over the possible transfer of Alex Teixeira, a source at the Ukrainian club has told the Guardian. Liverpool are so far the only club who have made an official approach for Teixeira.

Liverpool have offered €32m (£24.6m) for the Shakhtar forward, with their chief executive, Ian Ayre, flying to Florida to try to clinch a deal. Shakhtar, who are in Orlando preparing for the Florida Cup, value the 26-year-old at €50m (£38m) and are unlikely to go much lower, but Liverpool are hopeful they can agree a deal to add firepower to a forward line ravaged by injuries this season.

Transfer window 2016: all the January Premier League deals – interactive Read more

Teixeira, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, has scored 67 goals in 146 league games for the Ukrainian team in five years at the club. Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool have scored only 25 goals in 22 league games this season and currently have Danny Ings, Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi, as well as Philippe Coutinho, injured.

Christian Benteke is Liverpool’s highest scorer in the league this season with six. Coutinho has five, Origi one, Sturridge two and Ings two.

Teixeira suffered a hamstring injury – a common sight at Liverpool this season – on Tuesday morning which forced him to miss Shakhtar’s 3-2 friendly defeat by Corinthians on Wednesday. But Shakhtar’s coach, Mircea Lucescu, indicated it was not a serious problem. “I decided not to risk it and rest him,” he said.

Klopp, speaking earlier this week, insisted Benteke does have a long-term future at the club, despite benching the £32.5m striker for his biggest Premier League fixtures as manager.

Liverpool’s most expensive summer recruit was a substitute in the league games against Manchester United and Arsenal. Benteke was also on the bench in the wins at Chelsea and Manchester City when Klopp favoured Roberto Firmino in attack.

“You are too quick in your judgments,” said Klopp, when asked if the 25-year-old featured in his long-term plans. “If I worked like this I would send players who miss chances to the next club or whatever. Stay cool. Of course he has a future. That is not a question.”

Klopp’s team advanced to the FA Cup fourth round on Wednesday night with a 3-0 victory in the replay with Exeter City at Anfield. “It was a really enjoyable night and the lads enjoyed it, you could see that,” he said. “They worked hard, created chances, scored wonderful goals and made mistakes but worked hard to correct those mistakes.”