Liverpool could complete deal for £207,000/week ace with second bid after €40million plus bonuses offer failed

Liverpool's pre-season preparations are set to intensify on Tuesday as they get set to face Wacker Innsbruck and VfB Stuttgart in back to back 30-minute matches in Austria.

Meanwhile, back at home, sporting director Michael Edwards is hard at work trying to get Liverpool's transfer business sorted.

Where are we with Saul?

Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are at an impasse over the finances involved in a swap deal for Saul and Antoine Griezmann and so it could be that the door will soon open for Liverpool to get their man.

He suggests: "My Atletico friend advised me that Fernando Torres has spoken to Saul about LFC in glowing terms.

"If LFC moves a better offer to AM it's doable."

Saul is the dream option this summer

Signing Thiago Alcantara last summer was incredible and the only complaint any Liverpool fan could have is that we wish we were able to sign the 26-year-old version of the Spanish maestro.

In Saul, the Reds can do just that.

They are, of course, different players stylistically but they are similar in many ways and would combine with Jordan Henderson or Fabinho to form a very aggressive and dominant midfield trio.

If Michael Edwards can sign the Atleti midfielder for €50m or less and on a favourable payment structure, it could turn out to be another masterclass.

Only issue is that Salary Sport reports that he is earning £207,000 per week in Spain and that would make him Liverpool's highest earner before bonuses.