http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27629474 Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal for Southampton and England striker Rickie Lambert for a fee of around £4m plus add-ons.
By Ben Smith BBC Sport
The Reds are hopeful Lambert will be able to complete a medical on Saturday before flying out to Miami with the England squad on Sunday.
The Liverpool-born forward is intent on leaving St Mary's this summer.
Southampton rejected a similar bid from West Ham in January but are set to cash in on the 32-year-old.
Southampton have not yet accepted Liverpool's offer for Lambert, but talks are continuing and if Saints receive a bid they deem acceptable they will not stand in his way.
There has been interest in Lambert from other Premier League clubs, but it is understood he is currently only considering Liverpool.
Lambert spent five years as a youth player at Anfield before being released as a 15-year-old and he still supports the Reds.
He scored 14 goals in 39 games last season and has 117 in 235 appearances since joining Southampton from Bristol Rovers in 2009.
Liverpool remain in talks with Southampton over deals for both England midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, and Croatia defender Dejan Lovren, 24.
The Anfield club have also made an enquiry for Sevilla full back Alberto Moreno, 21, and told the Spanish side they are willing to pay as much as £16m for the player.
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino has left to take over at Tottenham, and the Saints have already turned down offers this summer for Lallana and left-back Luke Shaw, from Liverpool and Manchester United respectively.
The south coast club, who finished eighth in the Premier League, are under no financial pressure to sell and are determined not to be pressurised into sanctioning deals by suitors keen to make signings before the World Cup.
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