Liverpool are lining up a £86m double deal for two Barcelona players after Arne Slot gave the Reds the green light to pursue the duo, according to reports.
The Reds made a quick start to the summer transfer window with the Liverpool hierarchy backing Slot in the market after he delivered the Premier League title in his first season in charge.
His early transfer window reward was the big-name signings of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, while Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman also joined the goalkeeping department.
Liverpool are still understood to be in the market for further additions with rumours that they still want a central defender, central midfielder and a striker.
And now Spanish publication Fichajes insist that Liverpool are ‘preparing to spend €100m (£86m) to sign two Barcelona stars’ this summer.
The Reds are ‘already working on a compelling offer’ for the pair with €20m reserved for Christensen and another €80m put aside for Fermin.
READ: Ten Liverpool midfield options include Fulham wildcard as Slot eyes reunion
Slot ‘believes both players are a perfect fit for his new project, and Anfield hasn’t hesitated to launch an ambitious move to try to win over the Blaugrana board’.
The arrival of new players in his position has ‘generated uncertainty’ about Fermin’s future at the Camp Nou and his potential ‘has not gone unnoticed’ in the Premier League.
Liverpool ‘sees a golden opportunity to sign a player with great potential’, while the Reds are looking to take advantage of the fact Christensen’s ‘role seems to have diminished in recent months’ and secure a double deal.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco will now ‘have to assess whether the offer compensates for the loss of two key players in the rotation’.
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Liverpool have already broken the British transfer record this summer in a deal to bring Wirtz to Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth a potential £116m.
Leverkusen’s former head of scouting Tim Steidten, who played a part in signing him at the German club, has no doubts that Wirtz will be a success at Anfield in the upcoming season after his first conversation with the Germany international.
Steidten said: “Many people ask me whether he will be able to establish himself at Liverpool.
“For me, that is beyond question. My answer is always clear: yes! I remember our first conversation with him in Simon Rolfes’ office very well – his parents were there too. Simon asked him, ‘Where do you want to go, what do you want to achieve?’ And Florian replied, ‘I want to become the best player in the world.'”