Southampton REJECT Liverpool's initial £9m bid for Man Utd target Nathaniel Clyne

LIVERPOOL have had a £9m bid to sign England right-back Nathaniel Clyne rejected, but will return with an improved offer as they look to raid Southampton for the second successive summer.

The offer was tabled yesterday and Clyne wants to move to Anfield despite the difficulties endured on Merseyside by former team-mates Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana.

Clyne has one year left on his contract and is unlikely to sign a new deal. Southampton do not want to sell, but are aware of the 24-year-old’s wishes and the onus is now on Liverpool to increase the bid to nearer £12m.

The speed with which Liverpool are seeking to tie up deals indicates manager Brendan Rodgers is at the heart of the strategy – despite apparent interest in his position from Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti – although he must still have an end-of-season review with the club’s hierarchy.

The groundwork has also been done on a move for Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke ahead of a bid, while Manchester City’s James Milner will sign on a free transfer and Burnley’s Danny Ings is lined up with Liverpool hoping to agree a deal without the need to go to a transfer tribunal.

Manchester United have been monitoring the impressive Clyne, who has established himself as England’s first-choice right-back, but it is not thought to be a priority position for manager Louis van Gaal this summer.

Manchester United are also known to be interested in Nathaniel Clyne

In contrast, Liverpool have allowed Glen Johnson, whom Clyne has usurped at international level, to leave after failing to agree a contract and have Jon Flanagan injured for the next eight months. Spanish youngster Javier Manquillo is on a two-year loan from Atletico Madrid, but has been largely overlooked.

It has left Emre Can filling in at right-back at the end of the season, but his limitations have been all too apparent and the German youngster was substituted at half-time of last Sunday’s 6-1 humbling at Stoke after being culpable for each of the first three goals.

Relations between Southampton and Liverpool were left strained by last summer’s triple raid when Lambert, Lovren and Lallana moved for combined fees of £48m.

Ronald Koeman’s side recovered impressively from the departures with Lallana having been stymied by injury, while Lovren has failed to establish himself. Lambert is likely to leave having been afforded few opportunities.

Liverpool are likely to revert to a four-man rearguard next season and Rodgers wants Clyne to help reshape his backline.

Southampton have previously looked at Leeds United’s Sam Byram and Burnley’s Kieran Trippier as alternatives to Clyne, although Tottenham are keener on Trippier.