Barcelona hope to take advantage of Liverpool's uncertain finances with a £20 million move for Javier Mascherano.
The Sun says the Champions League winners have already sounded out the Argentina captain's advisors.
Mascherano, 25, still has three years left on his current contract after moving to Anfield in January 2007.
It leaves Rafa Benitez facing a nightmare scenario of losing two of his key players this summer as Xabi Alonso is on the verge of a £24m switch to Real Madrid.
Barca boss Pep Guardiola will be without midfielders Yaya Toure and Seydou Keita for almost two months because of the African Nations Cup next winter. And he has always rated Mascherano very highly.