Liverpool 'prepared' to offer £10.5m to sign Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico

Liverpool are reportedly ready to launch an offer worth around €12m (£10.5m, $13.6m) to secure the services of Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico.

ABC Sevilla reports that the Merseysiders have already informed the La Liga side of their intentions to open talks over the Spanish international in order to get a deal done as soon as possible.

Rico has garnered a reputation as one of the most promising Spanish keepers having established himself as Sevilla's number one since making his first-team debut in the 2014-2015 campaign.

The 23-year-old also made his Spanish national team debut during a friendly against South Korea in June 2016, being later named by Vicente del Bosque as his third-choice keeper for the Euro 2016 championship behind David De Gea and Iker Casillas.

Radio Station Cadena Cope reported last week that both Liverpool and AC Milan had been attracted by his impressive rise in La Liga and were considering making an offer to lure him away from Sevilla.

Liverpool already signed Loris Karius from Mainz last summer but the German failed to beat Simon Mignolet for the Number 1 role during the 2016-2017 campaign. Meanwhile, Milan are said to be looking for a new custodian amid the uncertain future of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Now ABC Sevilla claims that Liverpool are prepared to launch a first offer worth around €12m to test the Andalucian's resolve.

However, a deal doesn't look likely at this price with the report pointing out that Rico's release clause at the Sanchez Pizjuan is set at €30m.

Sevilla have proved in recent transfer windows to be tough negotiators and usually ask the full clauses of their players to cash in. Last summer Kevin Gameiro only moved to Atletico Madrid after Los Colchoneros triggered his €40m buy-out clause and the club used a similar formula in the past with other stars such us Ivan Rakitic, Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas.

Liverpool themselves paid around €18m to sign Alberto Moreno in the summer of 2014 and will probably need to pay way more than €12m if Klopp really wants Rico to be his new Number 1.