Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement with PSV Eindhoven to sign Netherlands international forward Cody Gakpo in January.
The agreed fee is between €40 to €50million and the 23-year-old has been given permission by his club to travel to England for a medical ahead of completing the switch.
A statement from the Dutch Eredivisie side read: “PSV and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo.
“The 23-year-old attacker will immediately leave for England and he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer.
“Both clubs are not making any announcements about the transfer fee. ‘But this is a record transfer for PSV,’ said general manager Marcel Brands.
“The PSV management completed the negotiations on Boxing Day and gave Gakpo permission to travel to England.”
The proposed club-record sale for PSV follows Gakpo’s strong performance at the World Cup, with three goals in five games as his country reached the quarter-finals.
Manchester United and Chelsea have also been considering Gakpo, but Liverpool have now moved into pole position to secure one of Europe’s most coveted players.
Gakpo has accumulated 35 goals and assists for PSV and the Dutch national team this season, maintaining the prolific form he showed in 2021-22.
Leeds United came close to acquiring Gakpo on the final day of last summer’s transfer window and dispatched their director of football Victor Orta to conclude the purchase.
However, the attacker remained at PSV and his stock has risen in the intervening period.
Liverpool have a strong relationship with Gakpo’s representatives SEG, who also look after Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
Liverpool won at Aston Villa on Monday to stay sixth in the Premier League but they are now only five points behind the Champions League places after a difficult start to the campaign.