Liverpool’s top four hopes took a knock in their 0-0 draw with Claude Puel’s Southampton at the weekend, however, with two games to go their fate remains firmly in their own hands.
The Reds, who failed to score against the Saints for the fourth time this season, having faced them in the EFL Cup semi-final as well as the Premier League, will be confident of a Champions League place with West Ham and relegated Middlesbrough to come this month.
With that in mind some are turning their minds to the summer and the transfer window on Merseyside, and it seems comments from Sunday’s opponent Claude Puel have prompted Jurgen Klopp to shift his focus in the months ahead.
The French manager said in his pre-Arsenal press conference yesterday that first-team captain and Liverpool target Virgil van Dijk would be staying at the club beyond the summer and into next season.
Whether that will come to fruition or not, it seems to have jolted his German counterpart with reports from The Mirror claiming that the Reds have now placed Burnley centre-half Michael Keane at the top of their defensive summer shopping list.
As per the report, personal terms have been agreed in principal between the Anfield club and England international Keane and the two clubs are now closing in on a £25m deal.