Liverpool are launching an £8 million offer for Birmingham City defender Scott Dann.
The Daily Star says Birmingham boss Alex McLeish would have liked to base a Championship promotion challenge on his solid central-defensive partnership of Dann, 24, and Roger Johnson.
But Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is closing in on £8million-rated Dann, whose absence through injury in the final weeks of the season was a contributory factor to his club's Premier League demise.
The Brum defender has played all his senior football in the Midlands, having previously been at Walsall and Coventry.
But the Merseyside-born ace is a Liverpool fan.
