Liverpool are preparing to make an opening offer for Brighton and Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Klopp's injury crisis

The Reds suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Premier League rivals Manchester United on Monday night, but were severely hampered by injuries, with nine players ruled out of action and facing spells on the sidelines.

Jurgen Klopp finally caved and admitted prior to the Old Trafford showdown that he would like to add another midfielder to his squad as a result of the current crisis, and it sounds like he’s identified the 20-year-old as his prime target.

The Latest: Liverpool set to make their move

South American outlet Studio Football (via The Mirror) claim that Liverpool are ‘looking to sign’ Caicedo this summer, and are in the process of ‘preparing a bid’ in the region of €50m (£42m).

It’s stated that the Seagulls have made it clear that the Ecuadorian is ‘not for sale’, though the Merseyside outfit are ‘set to ignore that warning’ and go ahead with their attempts.

The Verdict: Bellingham alternative

Liverpool have held a long-standing interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, but valued at a staggering £101m, it’s likely that Caicedo would be a much cheaper yet still as effective alternative.

The 23-cap international, dubbed a ‘machine’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, currently ranks fifth for the most tackles made in the Premier League this season (11), alongside averaging 1.3 key passes per game, showing his effectiveness on both sides of the ball.

Caicedo has experience under his belt having become a regular member of Brighton’s first team since January, and he would be a highly-promising player to come in and fill that much-needed midfield void for Klopp.