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Liverpool have received a significant boost in their £20million pursuit of exciting Dutch attacker Memphis Depay.

The Reds are keen to make the Holland international their first signing of the summer as boss Brendan Rodgers looks to bolster his squad’s firepower.

Depay’s 21 league goals this term have fired PSV Eindhoven to the Eredivisie title and they are resigned to losing him at the end of the season.

The 21-year-old has been given permission to hold talks with interested clubs who are willing to pay the £20million asking price and Liverpool have made Depay an offer.

PSV sporting director Marcel Brands claims Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are “a step ahead” of Manchester United in the battle to secure his services.

GALLERY: Memphis Depay in pictures

Initially, Anfield officials feared that Depay’s relationship with United boss Louis van Gaal, who he played under at last summer’s World Cup, coupled with the likely offer of Champions League football at Old Trafford, would be decisive.

But hope has grown over the past week that Depay will opt to move to Anfield instead.

Sources close to the player have confirmed that he has his heart set on a transfer to the Premier League and that he was impressed with Liverpool’s plans to push on after a disappointing campaign.

Playing in the Champions League is not a deal breaker for Depay, who instead is more interested in finding a club where he will command a regular first-team spot and be able to further develop his talent.

Depay, who has starred for PSV out on the left flank rather than as a central striker, is aware of how Luis Suarez flourished at Anfield after making the switch from Ajax in 2011 and is seriously considering following a similar career path.

He has yet to make a decision on his future but wants it decided shortly after the completion of the Dutch season later this month and before he departs on holiday.

Speaking about the interest in Depay, Brands said: “PSG and Liverpool are indeed a step ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign Memphis. United have only informed us about their interest.

“The list of interested clubs has grown in recent weeks. But Bayern Munich are not among the teams that want to sign him.

“It’s only logical that there is a lot of movement around Memphis. He is still a young player, but is already hugely efficient. He should be proud of that.

“There isn’t usually a lot of movement in the transfer market at this stage of the season. It’s an exception that so many clubs have already shown an interest in Memphis. That only illustrates that he’s on the right track.”