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Liverpool FC have been told they may need to up their bid for Luis Alberto if they are to land the Sevilla starlet.

The Reds, as revealed by the ECHO yesterday, are keen to wrap up a deal for the 20-year-old attacking midfielder as soon as possible. They have tabled a formal offer, understood to be worth around £5.5m, but Sevilla have yet to accept, with the Spanish side likely to demand closer to £7m.

A compromise involving additional clauses and performance-related payments is expected to be reached, with Liverpool reluctant to pay over the odds for a player with just seven senior top-flight appearances under his belt.

Sevilla’s director of football, Luis ‘Monchi’ Verdejo, confirmed that a “very good” offer had been tabled for Alberto, but insisted no fee has been agreed within the clubs.

He told the Spanish club’s official TV channel: “Liverpool’s interest in Luis is real, but nothing has been signed. They’ve made the player a very important offer, but we are not satisfied yet.”

Alberto spent last season on loan at Barcelona, playing for their B team in the Segunda Division, and Monchi believes that spell has improved his transfer value.

He added: “I recall that a fuss was made when we loaned him out. As it stands, we all agree that he now has a better value in the market and has grown as a footballer.

“Is it a good deal to sell him for the figures they speak of? The offer we have on the table is a very good one with respect to where Luis is currently. We don’t know what will happen in the future. To date, we haven’t accepted the offer.”

Liverpool remain keen to land a number of targets, with deals for Sunderland ‘keeper Simon Mignolet and Sporting Lisbon defender Tiago Ilori still in the pipeline, and an announcement on the signing of Iago Aspas is imminent.

FC Porto’s Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu has emerged as another target, with talks ongoing with the Portuguese club over a possible ï¿½3m deal. Atsu, 21, has one year remaining on his Porto contract, and Liverpool are optimistic a cut-price deal could be agreed this week.

The Reds also remain firmly in the hunt for Shakhtar Donetsk star Henrikh Mkhitaryan, though reports that the Armenian had flown to Merseyside for a medical are wide of the mark.

Andy Carroll, however, is set to finalise his Anfield exit today.

The England striker underwent a medical at West Ham United on Tuesday, and Liverpool expect him to complete his ï¿½15m switch to Upton Park.

Meanwhile, Liverpool hope to sign 14-year-old Yan Dhanda from West Bromwich Albion.

The highly-rated teen, who plays as an attacking midfielder, has been recommended by the club’s Academy scouts, and looks set to follow Jerome Sinclair, who made the move from The Hawthorns two years ago, and made his senior Reds debut against the Baggies in the League Cup last season.