Liverpool transfer news: Manager Jurgen Klopp eyeing £85m bid for Barcelona foward Ousmane Dembele in January window

Liverpool are understood to be preparing a huge £85million bid for Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele.

It is thought that Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp wants the 21-year-old winger to boost his team’s front line in their bid for Premier League glory this season.

And the Reds boss is prepared to break the club’s record transfer once again, according to The Sun.

Dembele, who joined Barca from Borussia Dortmund for £135.5m in August 2017, has had a frustrating first year at the Camp Nou, largely owing to injury.

The Spanish club’s manager, Ernesto Valverde, dropped him from his matchday squad to face Real Betis at the weekend after the player missed training with a “stomach bug”.

France coach Didier Deschamps has also revealed Dembele is among the players with a habit of turning up late for training.

But the France international’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, has defended the ex-Borussia Dortmund youngster and says his client wants to stay.

“I am convinced that [Ernesto] Valverde wants Dembele,” he told RMC Sport.

“He’s with France right now because he deserves to be.

“I have also spoken to [former France defender and current Barca technical secretary] Eric Abidal and he is very happy with Ousmane, he told me that he’s training very well.”

But Klopp looks set to test Barca’s resolve.

This season he has scored five competitive goals and created one, but focus has been on his discipline after his rapid rise to the top.

It was just over two years ago that he was making a name for himself at French club Rennes before Klopp’s former club, Dortmund in 2016.

Dembele fits the bill for Klopp and Kop sporting director Michael Edwards in the search for another creative addition to the team.

Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane led Liverpool to the Champions League final last season and they remain unbeaten this season in their 12 Premier League games – and Dembele could give them an edge in the second half of the season.