Liverpool have sent scouts to watch RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol “multiple times” over the past few months, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Reds have joined Chelsea and Manchester City in pursuing the Croatian international but Romano warns that the centre-back will cost a significant amount of money:

“We know that Leipzig want to make Gvardiol the most expensive centre-back ever. This is a crucial point in the story. Many clubs are keeping an eye on him. Liverpool have also sent their scouts to follow the player multiple times in the last months. So, keep an eye on this situation.”

Reports have suggested that Leipzig will demand as much as €110m (£97m) for Gvardiol, which would smash Liverpool’s transfer record.

Considering their other main target, Jude Bellingham, has a price tag that is said to be around €150m (£132m), the pair of them could cost as much as £229m.

While the Reds wouldn’t have to pay all of it up front, it is an unprecedented amount of money for the club’s owners, FSG, to shell out. It’s no wonder they have been looking for investment, as the only way they can keep the team in the hunt for trophies is by competing for top players, who have sky-high valuations