Southampton are interested in recruiting Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge on loan until the end of the season and are also ready to make an audacious bid for Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon.

After selling Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool for £75 million on Wednesday, Southampton want to reinvest quickly and add quality to their squad, with the attacking positions and centre-back their two priorities.

A list of targets are being considered or actively worked upon and, with manager Mauricio Pellegrino desperate to add pace, power and goals to his team, one of the most intriguing names is Liverpool’s Sturridge.

His Liverpool contributions have been limited by persistent injury but, even when fully fit, the emergence this season of Jurgen Klopp’s ‘fab four’ of Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane has left him unlikely to start even when available.

Southampton have their own short-term problems in attack following Charlie Austin’s injury and, although they are also looking at permanent options, they would be very interested in taking a proven goalscorer like Sturridge on loan.