Liverpool Fear Adam Lallana Bid Could be Hijacked by Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur

Liverpool's pursuit of Adam Lallana could be derailed by potential bids from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Southampton forward has already been the subject of a £20 million bid by the Premier League runners-up as Brendan Rogers looks to go one better next season.

But after Tottenham sacked manager Tim Sherwood, the north London club has drawn up plans to prise Saints' manager Mauricio Pochettino from the South Coast club.

Spurs have approached Southampton about the possibility of filling their managerial vacancy with the Argentine, who has won plaudits by transforming it into a side that could challenge for European football.

And as reported by the Daily Star, one of Pochettino's first moves as manager would be to raid his former club and snatch the 26-year-old England international.

However, the appointment of bookies' favourite Frank De Boer could work in Liverpool's favour and scupper a deal to take Lallana, who scored some great goals last season, to White Hart Lane.

It has also emerged that Liverpool are keen to close a deal as soon as possible to stave off interest from arch rivals Manchester United.

United have a reported £200m war chest to rebuild a side that slumped to seventh place, their lowest league position since 1990, and consider Lallana to be one of the brightest stars in English football.

The interest raises the possibilty, says the Daily Telegraph, that United could offer Southampton a double offer for both Lallana, who would prefer a move to Merseyside, and 18-year-old left-back Luke Shaw to gazump Liverpool.