Liverpool have been told to pay at least £24m for Lazio starlet Keita Balde Diao.
According to reports in Italy, the Anfield club are preparing a bid for the hot-shot but the Serie A club do not intend to sell. Further reports suggest that Lazio owner and president Claudio Lotito would only consider bids north of £24m for Diao.
The 19-year-old striker joined the Serie A outfit in 2011 for a fee of £300,000, and scored five times in 23 senior appearances last season. Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has already secured the services of Belgian youngster Divock Origi from Lille, but he is keen to snap up Diao.
It is thought the Anfield club have already had a bid rejected for the player who struck an incredible 47 goals in a single season during a loan spell at Spanish side UE Cornella, the same team which Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba was sent to, in the 2010-11 season.
Diao, who was born in Spain to Senegalese parents, spent seven years at Barcelona's famed academy before his temporary spell at Cornella. He rejected the chance to return to the Nou Camp and instead opted to join Lazio, despite interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid. Diao is highly rated by Lazio who see him as Miroslav Klose's successor.