Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Virgil van Dijk and Thomas Lemar

Liverpool will reportedly press ahead with a potential move for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk in the remaining days of the summer transfer window.

According to Dominic King of the Daily Mail, having struck a deal to land Naby Keita ahead of the 2018-19 season, the Reds will seek to improve their squad in the short term. Van Dijk is noted to be a £70 million target, as is AS Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar, who would cost as much as £75 million.

"Having thrashed Arsenal 4-0 to show their potential for the season ahead, Liverpool are now determined to make a statement in the transfer market and were they to land Van Dijk and Lemar it would turn them into genuine title challengers," King wrote.

It's added that despite their ambition "the task of having both those players on board by Thursday is complicated."

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In the case of Van Dijk, the south-coast club have adopted a bullish stance during this window. As noted by King, Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino has been adamant the Netherlands international will be a Southampton player on September 1, despite handing in a transfer request.

Per the report, the Reds were interested in signing the defender earlier in the transfer window, though they withdrew their interest amid suggestions from Southampton that an illegal approach had been made.

Per Sky Sports News’ Bryan Swanson, Van Dijk has been marginalised at Saints amid talk of his exit:

The defender would help to resolve some of the problems that have blighted Liverpool under manager Jurgen Klopp, and it's understandable the club would be willing to spend huge money to bring him in.

If Lemar were to arrive too, the Reds would push themselves from a position of potential Premier League title challengers to definite contenders. The Monaco man would add another exciting dimension to the team's attacking play too.

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Indeed, the midfielder was exceptional on the left flank for the Ligue 1 outfit last season and thrilled onlookers with his dynamic style. Monaco romped to the title, though the enterprising side that took them there has been picked apart this summer, with Benjamin Mendy, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Bernardo Silva all moving on.

It appears the French champions are ready to draw a line in the sand now, though. As noted by Jason Burt of the Daily Telegraph, it feels like this will be a difficult move to get over the line for the Reds:

Per Sky Sports News (h/t Bleacher Report UK), Monaco have already rebuffed two offers from Liverpool for the 21-year-old:

Both deals appear to be far from straightforward for the Reds, though their ambition to spend big late in the window has to be admired. 

They have impressed already in 2017-18 with some fine performances against TSG Hoffenheim and Arsenal; adding a fantastic centre-back and one of Europe's brightest prospects to their squad would give them a big chance of challenging for honours this season.

The problems may come in the face of two clubs determined to keep hold of prize assets. Even with so much money potentially coming in for Southampton and Monaco, improving their respective squads with any windfall so late in the window would be a challenge.