Liverpool Set to Sign Ligue 1 Midfield Star Seri Ahead of Arsenal, Tottenham

Liverpool are set to leapfrog both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur by signing Ivory Coast and Nice star, Jean-Michaël Seri.

Liverpool are set to leapfrog both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur by signing Ivory Coast and Nice star, Jean-Michaël Seri, per TeamTalk.

The deal is reported to be in the region of £20m, as the Reds are set to sign one of Ligue 1's standout stars. The 26-year-old is a well-rounded midfield presence who is particularly dangerous in the final third, ranking tied-2nd in the Ligue 1 for assists last season. To go with these 10 assists, he also scored seven goals.

Seri is viewed as a replacement signing for Naby Keïta. 

The Red Bull Salzburg midfielder was one of Jürgen Klopp's target signings, but the Austrian Bundesliga champions are unwilling to change their stance of not wanting to sell their star midfielder. Nice, however, are said to be more comfortable allowing Seri to move to one of Europe's top clubs.

Yet even so, signing Keïta long-term is not thought to be impossible. His £49m release clause comes into effect next summer, and it is widely believed that Liverpool will continue to be in the hunt for the 22-year old Guinean star.

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The Seri transfer would be a bargain move for Liverpool. The rumoured £20m is far less than the midfielder's £36.4m release clause.

It would also be a huge coup in that it will see Klopp leap over two of Liverpool's key rivals. Both Arsenal and Tottenham had expressed strong interest in Seri throughout the summer, and signing him will come as a blow both to the Gunners, and Spurs.

Seri would be Liverpool's fourth signing of the summer - along with former Chelsea youngster Dominic Solanke, Hull left-back Andrew Robertson, and AS Roma star Mohamed Salah.