Liverpool are reportedly considering a player-plus-cash deal that would see Naby Keita and Inter Milan's Marcelo Brozovic move in opposite directions.
Keita, who has failed to live up to expectations during an injury-hit five years on Merseyside, has entered the final six months of his deal with Jurgen Klopp's side.
The Guinea international is currently free to talk to foreign clubs, and should his situation not change in the coming months, he will leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Liverpool were originally thought to have been negotiating a new contract with Keita, with Klopp considering the 27-year-old an important part of his squad when fully fit.
However, it has now been reported that Liverpool have pulled the plug on talks with the midfielder, who will therefore make his exit from Anfield either this month on in the summer.
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Rather than lose the £52m man for nothing in the summer, Calciomercatoweb claims that Liverpool could try to negotiate a part-exchange deal with Inter for the signing of Brozovic.
The Croatia international's future was also being called into question last year, but he ended speculation by signing a new deal with the Nerazzurri until 2026.
The report adds that Klopp is a "huge admirer" of Brozovic, but Liverpool would also need to submit a cash sum of at least €30m (£26.2m) alongside Keita to have a chance of striking a deal.
However, Inter would likely be reluctant to sanction Brozovic's exit midway through the season, and it is not clear if Simone Inzaghi would welcome the addition of Keita to his squad.
Brozovic initially joined Inter on loan from Dinamo Zagreb in January 2016 before making his move permanent that summer, and he has registered 30 goals and 37 assists in 302 games for the club since.
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A World Cup finalist and semi-finalist with Croatia, Brozovic also won the 2020-21 Serie A title with Inter, but hamstring and calf injuries have restricted him to just 12 outings at club level this term.
Meanwhile, Keita has only played eight times for Liverpool this season, having suffered a serious hamstring injury after the Community Shield win over Manchester City, which rendered him unavailable for three months.
The midfielder has since made four substitute appearances in the Premier League and started his first game of the season in Tuesday's FA Cup third-round replay win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Keita's total for Liverpool stands at 11 strikes and seven assists from 124 games in all tournaments, while he has missed a further 86 matches through injury or illness.
Keita could be one of three Liverpool midfielders to leave at the end of their contracts this summer, with James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also set to become free agents soon.
Ben Knapton
