10:46

Liverpool are prepared to spend in the region of £150m to land Thomas Lemar and Virgil van Dijk in the final days of the transfer window but, as they have often found this summer, the reluctance of rival clubs to sell remains a formidable obstacle. Several enquiries for France international Lemar have been dismissed by Monaco who, despite agreeing a deal for Lazio winger Keita Balde Diao, maintain the 21-year-old will not be leaving in this transfer window. That will not deter Liverpool’s attempts to strike a deal before Thursday’s deadline. Divock Origi would be allowed to move on loan in the opposite direction as a makeweight in a Lemar transfer, though Liverpool insist reports of an €80m-plus Origi bid are premature.

They are also adamant – for the nth time this summer – that Philippe Coutinho will not be sold to Barcelona despite their interest in Lemar. Likewise, and despite excitement over a silver van being spotted at John Lennon Airport on Tuesday, Southampton are standing firm in their refusal to sell van Dijk to the Anfield club. The Dutch defender prefers Liverpool to Chelsea or Arsenal, Jurgen Klopp is prepared to make van Dijk the most expensive defender of all time at around £70m, but Southampton have not yet bowed to the 26-year-old’s attempts to force an exit.

Strained relations between St Mary’s Stadium and Anfield do not help Liverpool’s cause either. However, having eventually concluded a deal with Red Bull Leipzig for Naby Keita – believed to be a £7m premium on next summer’s £48m release clause to secure the midfielder – Liverpool know resolve can be broken. Though he appears destined for Chelsea, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains a target for Klopp but – similarly to Southampton over Van Dijk – Arsenal have been unwilling to deal with Liverpool so far.