Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and attacking midfielders are almost synonymous with on and other. The former Borussia Dortmund manager, it would seem, is never happier than when he has an abundance of playmakers at his disposal.

Therefore, when the 'Normal One' is linked with yet another you would assume that there would be nothing standing in the way of the deal.

However, in the case of Croatian playmaker Ante Coric, who has been mooted as a target at Anfield for around a year, Klopp will have to put up a serious fight.

Reports this week claim that the 20-year-old is now at the centre of a seven-way transfer tussle, with Tottenham, West Brom, Mainz, Sampdoria and Roma all linked as well as the Reds.

The young midfielder, often compared to Real Madrid star and international teammate Luka Modric in his home country, turned down German giants Bayern Munich as a youngster to develop his skills in Austria with Red Bull Salzburg and once again averted the interest of Die Roten when he joined boyhood club Dinamo Zagreb as a 16-year-old.

Now 20, Coric has amassed over 100 appearances for his hometown side and made his international bow a year ago this week before going on to be named in the squad for the European Championships in France last summer.

The step up from the Croatian league to the Premier League would, of course, be a huge move for any player yet to experience top flight football elsewhere in Europe, however, Coric has already shown he has the attributes to develop into a fine Premier League talent.

Whether looking to create from deep or unlocking the opposition in and around the area with quick flicks and runs, the talented playmaker could slot into Klopp's strategy in a number of roles.

Liverpool will have to put up a real fight to land the starlet, who is valued at £8.5m by transfermarkt.com, considering just how exciting a prospect it would be to see Coric in a Klopp system the Merseysiders need to be pulling out all the stops to get it agreed this summer.

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/record-transfers.mp4