'Good possibility' says Steven Nicol on Liverpool completing Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk deals

Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol claims there is a "good possibility" that Jurgen Klopp will complete deals for RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita and Southampton captain Virgil van Dijk this summer.

Keita's move to Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg last summer and his form for the Bundesliga outfit have seen him attract interest from the Reds. The Merseyside club's initial £57m ($74.2m) bid was turned down by the German outfit, which has seen Liverpool make a new approach to sign the Guinean international.

Van Dijk was keen on making a switch to Anfield in the summer transfer window, despite interest from Chelsea and Manchester City. The Saints reported Liverpool to the Premier League over an illegal approach for the defender, which forced the Reds to issue an apology and end their interest in the centre-back.

Nicol still remains hopeful his former club can manage to add Keita and Van Dijk to their squad in the ongoing transfer window.

"I'm going to say that there's a good possibility that both [Keita and Van Dijk] might happen," Nicol told ESPN FC.

"I think Keita is more expensive, just maybe. I think he gives you more. Box to box, he can score goals, he's somebody who you can maybe put the team on his back in a couple of years when he's a little bit more experienced. He's still only 22."

Liverpool have so far completed the deals for Dominic Solanke and Mohamed Salah, who arrived at the club from Chelsea and AS Roma respectively. Klopp's side return to the European competition after a year's absence and the former Borussia Dortmund manager is looking to strengthen his squad.

Klopp has admitted that his side could be forced to change their transfer plans, if Liverpool fail to land key primary targets this summer.