Real Madrid are preparing to take on bitter rivals Barcelona for the signature of Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho next summer.
The Brazilian star was the subject of several bids from Barcelona back in the summer transfer window, culminating in an £105million offer back in August.
But Liverpool refused to sell him, having been left with insufficient time to reinvest the money, and Coutinho remained at Anfield.
Liverpool are now braced for Barcelona to resume their efforts to sign the 25-year-old next summer - or even in January - but could profit from a bidding war between the La Liga leaders, their arch-enemies in Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.