Liverpool will step up their bid to sign England midfielder Adam Lallana after the World Cup in the hope of bringing him in before the start of the Premier League season, sources have told ESPN FC.
The league fixtures for 2014-15, released on Wednesday, handed the Reds an opening-day home match against Lallana's current club, Southampton.
ESPN FC has been told that manager Brendan Rodgers is refusing to give up on his attempt to sign the 26-year-old, although the two clubs have so far failed to agree a fee.
Reports suggest that Southampton want 30 million pounds for Lallana, and Liverpool are unwilling to go that high.
Rodgers is also interested in signing Lallana's club-mate Dejan Lovren, the Croatia international defender who reportedly handed in a transfer request shortly before his country's opening World Cup match against hosts Brazil.
Southampton executive director Les Reed told the BBC on Wednesday that he hoped both Lallana and Lovren would stay at the club.
Liverpool have made one signing from the Saints already this summer, bringing in England forward Rickie Lambert in a four million pound deal on June 2.
In addition, a deal has been agreed to bring in Germany under-21 midfielder Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen, while Rodgers is chasing Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno -- with Sporting's Argentina international Marcos Rojo a potential alternative.
But Lallana is Rodgers' top transfer target this summer, and the player himself is keen to move to Anfield.
Rodgers is considering alternatives if Liverpool and Southampton cannot agree a fee -- with Bayern Munich's Switzerland international Xherdan Shaqiri one possibility -- but wants to give the Lallana deal another chance first.