Liverpool Near First January Signing With Talks Underway for Salzburg Midfielder – Report

Liverpool have entered negotiations to make Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Valon Berisha their first signing of the January transfer window, according to the Norwegian press.

Representatives from the Premier League club were in attendance to watch over the 20-year-old as the Austrian club thrashed Champions League holders Bayern Munich 3-0 in a friendly on Saturday.

According to Norwegian newspaper Aftenbladet, Brendan Rodgers also dispatched scouts to watch over Berisha in his side's 4-0 win over Austria Wien in their final game before Christmas, where he impressed with a stand out performance marked by a goal.

While Berisha's representatives are yet to comment on any negotiations between the two clubs, Aftenbladet suggest Liverpool are keen to finalise a deal.

The Reds could be handed a boost in their attempts to sign the midfielder in the form of their former manager Gerard Houllier. The Frenchman currently holds the role of head of global football at Red Bull and presides over the activities of a number of the franchise's clubs, including Austrian league leaders.

Berisha had a number of opportunities to move to the Premier League as a teenager, but opted to remain in Norway with his first club EIK Egersund despite having offers from Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

He made his move to the Norwegian top flight in 2010 when he joined Viking where his reputation continued to grow. His former manager at the Tippeligaen club Åge Hareide paid him a telling compliment in stating the midfielder was one of the best young players he had ever coached, beaten only by current Cardiff City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Berisha, who has been capped 11 times for Norway, made his move to Salzburg in 2012 but may now be ready to move to a more prominent league.

Liverpool boss Rodgers indicated last week that the club have been working on a number of potential deals for the past few weeks, but must wait to see how negotiations unfold before the closure of the transfer window at the end of the month.