Liverpool have been warned that Rodrigo De Paul will not come cheap this summer.
The Udinese attacking midfielder has been linked with a move to Jurgen Klopp’s side in recent months.
De Paul was said to be a target for Leeds last summer, but the newly-promoted team were unable to strike a deal.
Liverpool could step up their interest in the Argentina international after the collapse of their Premier League title defence.
Klopp’s men have slipped to eighth in the table and now face a fight to qualify for the Champions League.
And with Georginio Wijnaldum now into the final few months of his contract, the Reds are on the lookout for a replacement.
However, the Premier League champions have been told that they should not expect straightforward negotiations if they make an offer for De Paul.
Udinese are keen to keep hold of their star man, and general director Pierpaolo Marino insists any interested parties will have to meet their valuation of the 26-year-old.
“It takes a lot of money to get them [De Paul and highly-rated goalkeeper Juan Mass], but it is not like we went looking for potential buyers.
"I do not have the problem of needing to advertise them. If someone doesn’t realise how strong they are, selfishly, it is better for me”.
De Paul is under contract until 2024, and Udinese are under no financial pressure to sell.
However, every player has his price and the prospect of a move to Liverpool would no doubt appeal to the attacking midfielder.
“I don’t know when my last day here will be,” De Paul told Udinese’s official website last month.
“I will give everything for Udinese until that moment. There were many rumours about my future in January, but I immediately met the director to tell him I wanted to go nowhere.
“I closed doors for everyone, my daughter was born here, and my son is going to be born here, he will be Friulano.”
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