Roma are reportedly closing in on Liverpool target Xherdan Shaqiri.
According to 4-4-2.com the Serie A heavyweights have jumped to the front of the queue for the Switzerland international, who caught the eye in this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are said to be ready to part company with the 22-year-old, with Roma happy to meet their £15million valuation of the player.
Merseyside giants Liverpool were thought to be leading the race to secure his signature during the summer transfer window but the latest report insists a deal was never struck and he is unlikely to head to England.
Roma are looking to build on the momentum of last term, when they flirted with challenging for the Scudetto title and pushed top dogs Juventus for large chunks of the campaign.
They secured Champions League football and have already snapped up former Chelsea defender Ashley Cole on a free transfer.
Liverpool will have a significant transfer budget to pursue different attack-minded targets if indeed they do miss out on Shaqiri.
When talisman Luis Suarez completes his switch to Barcelona for a fee in the region of £75m boss Brendan Rodgers will be able to splash the cash on several top-class players.