Mauricio Pochettino Targets £30m Tottenham Bid for Southampton Star Adam Lallana

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly set to make an approach for Liverpool midfield target Adam Lallana this summer, according to the Express.

The Southampton star has long been linked with a move to Anfield and the Reds even made an initial £20m bid for the player.

However, the Saints rejected Liverpool's offer as Brendan Rodgers' side have made an improved offer of £26m in signing Lallana.

Spurs appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager and the Argentine boss will be Tim Sherwood's successor at White Hart Lane next season.

The report claims Pochettino has urged his new club to sign Lallana in the summer transfer window. The two worked very closely at St Mary's Stadium, which saw the England international being one of the high-profile players for Southampton during the 2013/14 campaign.

The Saints are not willing to allow Lallana leave the club for nothing less than £30m. Liverpool's latest bid has reportedly turned down by Southampton and Pochettino wants Spurs to make an offer to hijack the Reds' move for the 26-year-old.

Pochettino remains confident that he can persuade Lallana to join him at White Hart Lane and this would see him turn down the opportunity to play in the Champions League with Liverpool.

Spurs' new manager should also convince club chairman Daniel Levy to spend £30m in landing the England midfielder. The north London side should act quickly, if they hope to seal a deal for Lallana.

The midfielder has been in fine form for Southampton last season. The former Saints boss compared Lallana's performance with Barcelona's Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas.

"We haven't seen a player like that in this country for a long time. Lately he [Lallana] has had a number of opportunities to get into the England national side so that is a very good thing for him," Pochettino told earlier in March.

"I am always telling him that he has the characteristics of a Spanish player and he has the skills of a Iniesta, Xavi or Fabregas," he added.