Liverpool close to completing deal to sign Michael Keane amid interest from Manchester United

Liverpool are close to securing their first signing of the summer with Michael Keane close to agreeing a deal with the Reds.

According to the Mirror, Jurgen Klopp has made the Burnley defender his top priority defensive signing and the Merseyside club are willing to pay a fee of £25m ($32.3m) to convince the Clarets to part with their prized asset.

Keane is said to have agreed personal terms in principle with Liverpool, with the defender only waiting to see if Klopp's side, currently in third place in the Premier League, secure a Champions League place before committing his future. The Reds are said to have offered the Burnley defender a four-year deal.

Liverpool are not going to have it easy in their pursuit of the 24-year-old's services with Manchester United also keen to re-sign their former player. The Red Devils allowed Keane to join Burnley two-and-a-half years ago for a fee of around £2m, but are now keen on bringing him back to Old Trafford.

Keane is one of the most coveted players in the Premier League at the moment with Tottenham Hotspur and Everton also interested in signing the defender. The Clarets' star has played every game except one in the league for his side, and his impressive showing saw him make his England debut in March this year.

Klopp is keen to shore up his defence in the summer after seeing his side struggle to keep clean sheets this season. Liverpool have conceded 42 goals thus far, five more than the next best in the Premier League's top four – Manchester City on 37 – and 19 more than second-placed Spurs, who have the best defensive record in the league.

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