LIVERPOOL have suffered a serious setback in their pursuit of Danny Ings after it emerged Burnley will seek a record tribunal fee for the 22-year-old if the clubs - as seems likely - cannot agree compensation terms.

Ings is expected to leave as a free agent in summer but Burnley will be entitled to recompense because he is under 24 – and want more for their top scorer than the £6.5m Manchester City received from Chelsea for the 2010 transfer of Daniel Sturridge.

That sum is the highest paid out following a transfer referred to the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC), which arbitrates when two clubs cannot strike a deal for an out-of-contract player. Liverpool were willing to pay £4m for Ings during the January