Liverpool 'leading Manchester United, Real Madrid in Kalidou Koulibaly race'

Liverpool are reportedly ahead of both Manchester United and Real Madrid in the race to sign Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly during this summer's transfer window.

The Serie A outfit are said to be willing to listen to offers for the 28-year-old ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

Both United and Madrid have been strongly linked with a move for the Senegal international, who has been restricted to just 15 Serie A appearances this season due to injury.

Liverpool have also recently been credited with an interest, though, and according to Gazzetta dello Sport, the European champions are the favourites to complete a deal.

The report claims that the Merseyside club's willingness to include experienced Croatian Dejan Lovren as part of a bid means that they are ahead of both United and Madrid in the race for the centre-back.

Koulibaly - thought to be valued by his Italian club in the region of £89m - has a contract with Gennaro Gattuso's side until the end of the 2022-23 campaign.