Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of coveted Lille forward Nicolas Pepe and they are not far away at all from meeting his £70 million price-tag, according to L’Equipe.
The Merseyside giants want to establish themselves as a force in European football again and, to do that, they must improve a squad that is already amongst the very best on the continent.
SEE ALSO: Truth Behind Salah And Klopp's Alleged Bust-Up Amid Liverpool Exit Claims
And Lille's Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe is one of the few players on the market who is capable of taking the Reds to another level.
An Ivory Coast international blessed with rapid pace and remarkable finishing skills, Pepe scored 23 times as Lille finished second behind Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season.
Nicolas Pepe of Lille has been linked with some of the biggest clubs around, Inter Milan offering £62 million, but L’Equipe believes that Liverpool have sprinted to the front of the queue and are now closing in on a deal which would make the former Angers forward their second most expensive signing ever.
SEE ALSO: 22 Goals, 11 Assists: Liverpool Have Just Found The Perfect Shaqiri Upgrade
It is reported that Pepe will cost £70 million, a fee that the six-time champions of Europe are seemingly willing to pay.
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
