Adam Lallana

Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana has been urged to put in a transfer request to complete a move to Liverpool before the World Cup, according to the Guardian.

The Reds have enquired about a £20m deal for the player but the Saints are unwilling to sell for anything less than £25m and this might delay the deal further.

Lallana has been the star player for Southampton this season, scoring nine goals and assisting six. The season also saw him being incorporated in the PFA Team of the Year.

Brendan Rodgers is a keen admirer of the player and wants to add him to his squad to prepare for their return to Champions League football next season.

The Reds have scored more than 100 goals this season and want to add to it by signing Lallana to operate behind the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez.

Rodgers wants to get the signing done before the World Cup, with the player's price expected to rise with a good showing in Brazil.

However, England manager Roy Hodgson has warned the players to refrain from succumbing to any distraction from the first week of June.

In order to complete the deal before that, Lallana has to put in a transfer request and leave Southampton with no doubts about his future.

Rodgers revealed that he wants one or two top class players to operate next season rather than a barrage of players who may or may not come good. The Reds missed out on the League title by a slender margin after taking only four points from their last three games.

"I don't want to put a figure on how many but I would rather have one or two absolute top players than seven that might not help us. It's about the quality. We can't be going into the Champions League this year with doubts about players. We have to be going in knowing what the players' capacity to play is and their capabilities," Rodgers said.

Liverpool FC Brendan Rodgers